What design-build means
In the traditional model you hire an architect or designer to draw the project, then hire a general contractor to build what was drawn. Two contracts, two firms, and a gap between them where every surprise lands. The plans cost more than the budget. A detail cannot be built the way it was drawn. The contractor says the architect should have known; the architect says the contractor should have asked.
Design-build closes that gap by putting design and construction under one roof. At Standard Building Company, the people who draw your project are the people who will price it and build it. The drawings are buildable because a builder reviewed them. The budget is real because it was priced from the actual plan, at every stage. And when something changes, as something always does, there is one phone number.
Concept to completion
Every project runs through the same stages. First, a walkthrough at your home where we measure, listen, and flag anything that affects cost or schedule. Second, concept design: floor plan options and a cost range, so the direction gets set with the number in view. Third, design development and a written budget, where selections and details get resolved. Fourth, the permit set, engineering, and a fixed written price. Fifth, permitting, which we handle with the city or county. Sixth, construction, with one project lead, a schedule you can see, and a weekly update. Seventh, the final walkthrough, inspections closed, punch list done, and the warranty in writing.
Our process page walks through each stage in more detail.
Architectural design, in house
Standard Building Company offers residential architectural design as part of the service. That covers as-built drawings of your existing home, concept sketches and floor plan options, elevations and 3D views, full permit sets with sections and details, energy and mechanical compliance, and coordination of structural, soils, and septic engineering where the code requires a stamp.
You can also hire us for design and permitting alone. Some owners want a permit-ready set to bid out or to build part of themselves. The fee is quoted up front, and on design-build projects it is credited toward construction.
Pricing at every stage
The single biggest advantage of design-build is that the price travels with the design. At concept, you get a range. At design development, a budget with allowances. At the permit set, a fixed written price with every allowance called out. If a wing has to shrink to meet the budget, it shrinks on paper, before any demolition, instead of after a finished plan comes back a third over.
We do not publish one-size-fits-all square-foot prices for most work because two projects of the same size can have very different structural, mechanical, and finish needs. Our pricing page explains how estimates are built and what drives them.
What we design and build
Whole-home remodels. Kitchen and bathroom remodels. Basement finishes. Home additions and second stories. Custom homes on your lot. Accessory dwelling units, garage apartments, and detached garages. Decks and outdoor living. Roofing coordinated with a larger project or a hail claim. Siding, windows, and doors. And the architectural design and permitting behind all of it.
We work on homes only. Commercial, industrial, and public work goes to Standard Development Company, a separate firm.
Where we work
We are based in Loveland, Colorado and work across Northern Colorado: Fort Collins, Windsor, Berthoud, Johnstown, Greeley, Longmont, Timnath, Wellington, and Estes Park, plus the unincorporated parts of Larimer and Weld counties. We also take design-build projects in the mountain towns of Avon, Vail, Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Aspen, and Steamboat Springs, run from the Front Range with a project lead on site through every critical phase.
Who runs your project
Standard Building Company is led by a builder who has run construction from the first schedule through subcontractors, safety, inspections, and turnover. That background carries ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) certification and OSHA and MSHA 40-hour safety training, and every home we take on is run with the same discipline: a written scope, a real schedule, a clean site, and a final walkthrough before we call it done.
Design-build services
- Whole-Home RemodelsGut renovations, floor plan changes, and full updates of older homes, designed and built by one firm.
- Kitchen RemodelingCabinets, countertops, tile, lighting, and layout changes, managed by one contractor.
- Bathroom RemodelingCustom tile showers, tub conversions, vanities, and aging-in-place upgrades.
- Basement FinishingBedrooms, bathrooms, wet bars, and theaters, with egress and permits handled.
- Home AdditionsRoom additions, second stories, bump-outs, and primary suites, designed and built by one firm.
- Custom HomesNew homes on your lot in Northern Colorado and the mountain towns, from site plan to keys.
- ADUs & GaragesAccessory dwelling units, garage apartments, detached garages, shops, and pole barns, designed and permitted.
- Decks & Outdoor LivingComposite and wood decks, covered patios, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, and fences.
- Roofing CoordinationRoof replacement managed as part of a remodel, addition, or hail claim by your general contractor.
- Design & PermittingConcept drawings, permit sets, engineering, and the submittal itself, done by the firm that will build it.
Common questions
Is design-build more expensive than hiring an architect and a contractor separately?
Usually it costs less overall. You pay one firm instead of two, the design is priced as it is drawn so there are no expensive redesigns, and construction starts with drawings the builder already understands.
Can I bring my own architect or plans?
Yes. We review existing plans for buildability, price them, and build them. If they need revisions to meet code or budget, our design side can make them.
Do you handle permits and inspections?
Yes. We prepare the submittal, file it with the city or county, respond to plan review comments, and schedule every inspection through final.
What size projects do you take?
From a single bathroom to a custom home. Design-build makes the most difference on projects that touch structure, systems, or more than one room, but the same process applies to a kitchen.
Do you work in the mountains?
Yes. We take design-build projects in Estes Park and along I-70 and US 40 in Avon, Vail, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Steamboat Springs, and Aspen, run from our Loveland base.
Standard Building Company works on homes only. For commercial, industrial, or public projects, contact Standard Development Company.