Q&A

First and foremost, we are truly a custom home builder. We’ve been in the custom home building business in Durango since 1978! Over the years, we’ve developed a business model that ensures owners are closely involved in every decision throughout the build process.

We personally track the progress of your home with daily, on-site attention. We are fully invested in your project. All of the subcontractors and tradesmen we work with have partnered with Summit Custom Homes for decades. They know exactly what we expect when it comes to the quality of our builds. These professionals stake their names and businesses on the excellence of their craftsmanship.

Brett is a third-generation builder here in La Plata County. His grandfather, father, and uncles—members of both the Metz and Enge families—have built a strong reputation in Durango over the past 60 years. If you drive through Durango, chances are you’ll travel on a street we’ve paved, cross a bridge we’ve constructed, or pass by one of the many homes we’ve dedicated our lives to building.

In short, we want to earn your business and will treat your home as more than just another project. Our goal is for you to truly love your new home.

I hold a City of Durango Business License (#201900242). Colorado does not require state contractor licensing. I am a long-time member of the Southwest Colorado Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). I also attend the NAHB annual conferences each year, which include professional training sessions.

We typically build an average of five homes per year, depending on the timing of design approvals from the HOA and the County, as well as the customer’s readiness to begin the building process. Building a home is a task-oriented project that requires hundreds of decisions. We intentionally keep the number of builds low so that we can maintain a personal, hands-on approach to each project.

We are considered equal to—or better than—the top six or seven highest-quality builders in Durango. We’ve earned first-place awards for all six of our Parade of Homes entries since our first in 2005. While we haven’t focused on entering the Parade of Homes every year—since it is time-intensive—we prefer to devote that energy to our builds.

We always strive to provide potential clients with a personal walk-through of both completed homes and projects in progress to showcase the quality of our work. One of the best testaments to our status as a premier builder is the fact that we have multiple repeat clients. In this industry, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to become so frustrated with their builder by the end of a project that they would never hire them again. In contrast, many of our clients return to us for future builds. Our references speak volumes about our craftsmanship and professionalism.

Building a new home involves several costs, including architectural and engineering fees, payments to the HOA and La Plata County, and the actual construction costs. We guide you through the entire design process, ensuring that the trusted architects we partner with create a design that aligns with your budget goals. Clients pay the design fee directly to the architect they choose. Pricing is discussed during every initial call with the architect.

I personally explain all HOA and La Plata County fees during our initial conversations. Summit Custom Homes’ contracting rate is based on a “Cost Plus” contract with a 15% fee.

I can promise that we will do a great job for you—and you will love living in a home designed and built by Summit Custom Homes. Here at Summit, we didn’t move in from out of town to chase a construction boom. We are a generational company. Our family name has been part of building this community for decades, and we intend to be here for generations to come. This is more than just a business for us — it’s our life!

As long as project schedules are staggered by at least one month, there will be no adverse impact on your project from other work we have underway.

Current design trends are leaning more and more toward contemporary and modern styles. For years, we’ve been able to blend contemporary elements with the rustic look that’s typical of mountain homes—often called “rustic contemporary.” Lately, we’re seeing less rustic influence and more modern features, which often extend to the exterior as well, with elements like cantilevered and angled components, larger expanses of glass, steel railings, exposed structural concrete, exposed steel, and modern lighting.

That said, design is always a matter of personal taste, and today’s trends are probably best described as “eclectic.” By eclectic, I mean a deliberate mix-and-match approach, combining different and sometimes extreme design styles side by side. One popular feature in our area is rusted corrugated metal siding—a hallmark of the rustic contemporary style. Some people love it, some don’t. Personally, I think when used correctly and as an accent, it can be very attractive. It also serves a practical purpose when used as wainscoting on the lower perimeter of the home—especially on sides where snow tends to pile up—as a more cost-effective alternative to stonework while providing similar protection.

Of course, many HOAs have restrictions on colors and siding types, which we always take into consideration during the design process. “Modern Mountain” style has also grown in popularity in recent years.

Ultimately, you are in charge of your home’s design—we’re here to guide you toward the look you want!

We always begin by walking the lot (a free service) and taking photos. From there, we sketch a proposed footprint within your lot’s building envelope and share ideas with you before any design contract is signed. I’ll also discuss ways to incorporate universal design techniques—features that allow the home to adapt to your needs over time and support “aging in place.”

I personally visit your home multiple times each week to oversee every aspect of the building process. On-site supervisors Carl Heide and Grant Gunn manage daily supervision, scheduling, material deliveries, and coordinate all subcontractors and tradesmen. Our construction team consists of experienced, highly skilled professionals, and we require all tradesmen to provide proof of full insurance before beginning work on your project.

HOA compliance is ensured through approval of the design by each subdivision’s Design Review Committee. Every phase of construction is also approved by La Plata County Code Enforcement. We receive electronic notifications from the county before each construction phase can proceed. At the end of the build, La Plata County will issue a Certificate of Occupancy only after all interim and final inspections have been successfully completed.

Summit Custom Homes will supervise and inspect the job site daily. We strictly enforce compliance with all building codes, plans, specifications, and our subcontractor agreements. La Plata County Building Inspectors perform all required inspections, culminating in the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. Additionally, the HVAC subcontractor conducts third-party “blower door” leakage testing and certifies the home’s HERS rating.

I use Buildertrend software to manage the entire home-building process. It allows me to create detailed estimates, send out bids for materials and subcontractor labor, and process invoices for customer draws. The software generates a line-item cost breakdown that becomes an exhibit to the building contract and serves as the bank’s guideline for progress draws.

Buildertrend also enables me to provide preliminary line-item estimates during the design phase, helping you evaluate different design options your architect may suggest. This ensures more accurate budgeting and informed decision-making throughout the design process.

A deposit of 3% of the building contract is due upon signing the contract, prior to breaking ground. This deposit is fully credited back to you in the final construction draw.

With every draw, a “Cost Breakdown” is provided showing the total amount drawn to date, the current draw’s total for each line item, and any allowance overages or change orders. This breakdown also displays the adjusted contract balance after each draw.

You are 100% in control of your budget! Material price increases are driven by the market and suppliers, but your selections ultimately determine the final cost. We guide you toward cost-conscious choices at every step.

If you request changes to the plans or specifications that increase the contract price, a change order will be issued outlining the cost of the change plus an 18% contracting fee. This amount will be added to the contract total.

Regarding allowance items: as long as your selections do not exceed the budgeted amount in the Allowance Cost Breakdown line item, you won’t incur overruns. I carefully estimate reasonable allowance amounts, often consulting with you and Susanne, our interior designer, to set placeholder figures. If your selections cost less than the allowance, you won’t be billed for the difference—the contract amount will be reduced accordingly, saving you money in your overall budget.

The warranty covers a period of one year from the date of occupancy. It includes warranties from suppliers, products, and subcontractors, as well as our in-house warranty on all workmanship.

Along with your contract, you will receive a copy of our “Limited Warranty,” endorsed by the NAHB, as well as a list of non-warrantable conditions. You will also receive the consumer reference edition of the NAHB’s “Residential Construction Performance Guidelines.”

You will have the opportunity to review and sign each document as part of the building contract process.

Breaking ground typically occurs within 4–6 weeks after the completed “permit set” of plans is submitted. This timeline is entirely dependent on receiving the building permit from La Plata County. During this period, contracts are signed and the permit application is processed.

Construction duration varies significantly based on phase timing and the season. If we start your home on March 15th—the earliest date to avoid additional winter protection costs—we can typically complete it for occupancy within nine months.

Because of a winter completion, some exterior work—such as landscaping, patios, and the asphalt driveway—may need to be finished the following spring after you move in. The timeline also depends on the size and complexity of your home design, as well as the severity of the winter.

We offer design and building/estimating consulting services to assist you throughout the design process. Once the design contract is signed, we begin the process as outlined in the previous Q&A sections.