01
Facts
Year
2026
Location
Lyons, Colorado
Type
Wildfire Rebuild
The land came first
Eagle Ridge sits on an exposed ridge in Lyons, Colorado, on the exact site where our clients lost their previous home to a wildfire. The reason they chose to build here again was not abstract. It was the land, and the feeling of being exactly where they wanted to be. The trees that survived are bare snags, the ground is mostly rock, and the wind gets a full run at the building. So the custom home going back up is quiet and disciplined: a compact gable form with simple roof lines and openings that face the Front Range.
Before anything was built
Our work started before anything was built. We gave the client and the design team an analysis of which construction methods would get disproportionately expensive on this site, so the concept could take shape knowing where budget should be absorbed and where it should be protected. Decisions got made earlier and more clearly because of it. On site, we poured footings in the fall of 2025 and had the structure framed by spring, then wrapped the whole shell, roof included, in a fully adhered SOLITEX ADHERO 3000 membrane, taped and sealed as one continuous layer. On an open ridge, that envelope earns its keep. Quiet discipline is the whole job here.
From the Fernhill podcast, recorded on site
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What is pre-construction?
Pre-construction is the work before a construction contract: pricing the design while it can still change, writing our assumptions next to each line, and reviewing constructability. You get a line-item cost model before you commit to building.
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What does a custom home cost in Boulder?
Costs vary with site conditions, design complexity, and finish level. Projects typically begin around $700 per square foot, with highly design-driven homes often exceeding $1,000 per square foot.
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Cost-plus vs fixed-price construction
A fixed price on an unfinished design is a guess with a margin on top. We work cost-plus with an open book: you see actual costs and our fee, and the monthly cost report we see is the one you see, unedited.
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How does Fernhill work with architects?
We join the team early, price the design as it develops, and flag constructability issues while they are still drawing-table decisions. The architect keeps design authority; we keep the budget honest.
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Why involve a builder early in design?
Most of a project’s cost is decided before the drawings are finished. With a builder in the room early, the budget can shape the design instead of surprising it after permits.
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Projects
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