Boulder, CO General Contractor
Boulder homes come with extra homework: steep lots, older houses, foothill weather and city rules of their own. Radiant Homes serves Boulder within a range that runs from Fort Collins to Denver, with the full list of services.
Why a Boulder job takes more planning
The city has its own building, energy and preservation requirements, and they can differ from the towns around it. Older houses near the center may fall under historic review when exterior changes are involved. Homes up the hillsides bring questions about slope, access and drainage.
None of this is a reason to skip a project. It is a reason to check the rules before drawings are done, so nothing has to be redrawn afterward.
Three kinds of Boulder property
Close-in older houses
Brick and frame homes with small kitchens, narrow closets and a history of owner additions. Expect repairs to uncover surprises, and check for preservation review before changing a street-facing wall.
Mid-century and later neighborhoods
Ranches, split-levels and townhomes that make good candidates for kitchen and bath updates, new windows and better insulation, which is where energy-minded owners often begin.
Hillside and foothill lots
Steeper ground means retaining walls, stairs, drainage and limited truck access. Decks on a slope need more thought than decks on flat ground.
Fire risk is part of the conversation.
Boulder County has lived through wildfire, and homes near open space carry exposure that homes in town do not.
- Ember-resistant vents and screens
- Roofing and exterior materials with a fire rating
- Combustibles cleared from decks and eaves
- Defensible space around the structure
- Siding and trim chosen to resist heat
- Gutters kept clear of needles and leaves
Efficiency alongside looks
Older Boulder houses are often drafty, and many owners here want to spend on comfort and efficiency as well as appearance. Windows, attic and wall insulation, and air sealing can be planned together with a remodel instead of as separate jobs.
Start with exterior remodeling for the shell of the house and interior remodeling for the rooms inside it.
How we approach a Boulder project
- Step one
Address and age
When the house was built tells us which rules and which surprises to expect.
- Step two
Site and rules check
We look at the lot, the slope and the access, and ask what review the address may need.
- Step three
Scope with the limits in it
The written scope reflects the constraints, so the price holds up after approvals.
- Step four
Build and walk
We do the work and go over the finished job with you on site.
Questions people ask first
Does my older Boulder house need historic review before I change the outside?
It might. The city has a preservation program that can apply to older buildings, especially when exterior changes or demolition are involved. Whether it reaches your house depends on its age and location.
We ask about the age of the home at the first visit and check with the city before a design is final.
Can you remodel a house on a steep lot?
Yes, with realistic planning. Slope affects where materials can be staged, how a deck or addition is supported and where water goes after a storm.
We walk the lot before pricing anything, because a sloped site can change the method as much as the scope. See outdoor living and home additions.
What does wildfire risk change about a remodel?
It affects material choices more than layout. Roofing, vents, siding, decks and the area close to the walls all matter when embers are the concern.
If your home is near open space or the foothills, tell us at the start so the choices can be made with that in mind. The roofing page and exterior remodeling page cover the options.
Do Boulder's energy rules affect a kitchen or bath remodel?
They can. The city's codes and requirements may differ from neighboring towns, and some of them touch insulation, windows and mechanical equipment even on interior work.
We note what applies to your address when we write the scope, rather than finding out at inspection.
Do you serve Boulder, or only the towns around it?
Boulder is well inside our range. The area runs from Fort Collins south to Denver and west to Golden, and Boulder sits comfortably in the middle of it.
That means the full list of services here: repairs, remodels, additions and new homes.
Start with the address and the age.
Tell us about the house and what you want to change, and we will flag what needs checking first.
Boulder sits at the foothill side of the range between Longmont and Broomfield. Also serving Fort Collins, Windsor, Loveland, Johnstown, Longmont, Broomfield, Westminster, Arvada, Golden, Lakewood and Denver.