Common Questions

In short, it is the process of hiring one company to oversee and manage the process of designing and building your home, rather than hiring separate companies for the three main tasks: architecture, interior design, and the actual build.

Having these three tasks executed by three separate companies (architect, designer, and builder/general contractor) increases the likelihood that expectations and communication will breakdown.

At Gowler Homes, we oversee every detail of the plan design process (architecture), interior finishes, colors and fixture selection (design), and budgeting, scheduling, and construction management (build).

The benefit of hiring us, a Design + Build company, is that there is a single point of responsibility for the outcome of the project. Our Design + Build process will ensure that every detail, from start to finish, is consistent with the vision for your home and within budget.

Our design phase is typically four to six months. Since we are a Design + Build company, we seamlessly transition from the design phase into the construction phase. Our philosophy is that the more detailed we are in the design phase, the faster the construction phase can go!

Also, our thorough design phase allows us to prepare extremely detailed and accurate budgets BEFORE construction starts so there are no surprises or disappointments once construction begins.

The design phase includes:

• Floor Plan Development
• Exterior Elevation
• Development
• Exterior Finish
• Specifications
• Interior Layout
• Interior Finish Specifications (cabinetry, tile, flooring, counter tops, lighting and plumbing fixture, doors and millwork, appliances, etc)
• Exterior 3D Renderings
• Preparing a Line-Item Budget of the Project
• Full Construction Documentation
• Soil Testing
• Septic Design (if applicable)
• Well Permitting (if applicable)
• Site Plan

Building timelines vary depending on site conditions, weather, and the complexity and size of the project. Most of our homes are completed within seven to nine months after we break ground.

Maybe, but probably not. Many of our clients come to us with a plan they found online that they like.

However, an architect is still going to be required to modify those plans to meet the code requirements where the home is to be built. Additionally, each building site has different requirements from an engineering, code, and topography standpoint, so the plan would need to be modified to fit the site.

If you have already purchased a plan, let’s take a look at it and see what it would take to make it buildable on your lot. Alternatively, we could use it as a starting point to custom tailor a plan that meets your needs on your specific lot.

Unfortunately, no. Due to licensing and permit requirements, schedule implications, warranty, and liability concerns, we do not allow homeowners to perform work on their home.

Trust us, we will make sure it’s done right, on time, and on budget. You can spend time with your family and enjoy the process without getting your hands dirty!

Our first step of engagement is to sign a Design Services Agreement, at which time a non-refundable design deposit is due.

The amount of the deposit depends on the size of the home and the extent of our services. At a minimum, our design services include architectural plans, structural engineering, full interior and exterior design selections, material and fixture specifications, detailed line-item budgeting, and a 3D exterior rendering.

Additionally, we often need to perform or hire out other testing or design work in order to accurately design your home, which could include soil testing, septic design/engineering, survey work, well permitting, etc. If this work is required, we will include it in our Design Services Agreement, and it will be included in the design deposit.

Our typical design deposit for a custom home is $30,000 to $50,000. This deposit is non-refundable if you choose not to build your home with Gowler Homes. However, should you move forward with construction with Gowler Homes, the deposit is credited toward the cost of building your home.

Our homes start at $650,000, not including land. Our average build cost is $225 to $275 per square foot, not including land. Build costs vary depending on building site, utility and infrastructure requirements, soil conditions, home size, complexity, and finish selections. However, this ballpark pricing will help you plan your budget!

Yes. We carry a class C homebuilding license in El Paso County, Douglas County, and Elbert County.

We carry $2,000,000 liability insurance on each project and workers-comp insurance on all employees. Additionally, we secure a Builders Risk policy for each individual custom-home project, in accordance with the client’s lender’s requirements.

We also require that any trade partners that work on our projects carry insurance and licenses, if required.

We build in El Paso County, Elbert County, and Douglas County. We build homes within a 35-minute drive from Monument, CO.

Yes, we will coordinate the installation of your well and septic system as well as the electrical and natural gas/propane connections.

The cost of the well depends on the depth of the well. This is determined first by which aquifer you have a well permit for. Based on the aquifer, there is an approximate depth that the well will be drilled.

Once our well drilling company is actually drilling, they will determine the final depth of the well.

The most common aquifers in Douglas County, Elbert County, and El Paso County are the Dawson and Denver Aquifers, which are both part of the Denver Basin.

Dawson Aquifer wells range between approximately 200 and 500 feet in depth (depending on the location of the lot) and can cost $7,000 to $20,000 to install.

Denver Aquifer wells range between approximately 300 and 1,300 feet in depth (depending on the location of the lot) and can cost $25,000 to $50,000 or more to install.

The cost to install a septic system depends on which type of septic system you are required to have. This is determined by a licensed geotechnical engineer, based on the results of a “Profile Pit Observation” test, which is performed by the engineer.

Depending on the conditions and type of soil available at your septic location, the engineer will prescribe the best septic system for your home. Costs for standard gravity flow, chamber septic systems range from $8,500 to $18,000.

Engineered septic systems can cost $20,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on the system design.

We always aim to build our homes with energy efficiency and comfort in mind. The reality is that higher efficiency usually translates into higher upfront costs.

We will review your needs/wants in terms of energy efficiency and green building practices prior to designing your home to determine if you desire more efficient, non-traditional building practices in your home.

If desired, we can install solar, geothermal, spray foam insulation, insulated concrete forms, low VOC products, etc.

There are also many design considerations we take into account when designing your home (like passive solar) to ensure that we build homes that steward resources to the best of our abilities.

Since we are custom builder, there is no limit to the features and specifications that we can build into your dream home. However, we also believe that most clients come to us because they’ve seen other homes that we’ve built and want a similar home for themselves.

For that reason, we’ve curated a list of standard features for our Farmhouse Collection. This list is curated based on the dozens of custom homes we’ve built, including the materials and features that many of our past clients wanted to make the process easy for you.

We can always tweak these standard features, but it helps give you an idea of the types of materials and features we include in our homes.