Last updated on May 21st, 2024 at 06:12 am
It can be challenging to find a general contractor who is attuned to the kind of mountain home building required by the extreme conditions of Vail. You need a contractor that carefully considers the constraints of the home’s existing location and footprint, and can capitalize on the views both down into the Valley and up the mountains.
To help you choose the right contractor to build your perfect mountain home, our team has curated a list of the best general contractors in Vail, Colorado. These companies were selected based on their accreditations, certifications, and professional affiliations. We also considered the recognition each firm has received in the form of industry awards, client reviews, and features in the press. We have also laid out the range of services the firms offer, their specializations, and the length of time they have been in the industry.
Beck Building Company
780 Nottingham Rd., Avon, CO 81620
For almost five decades, Beck Building Company has been a leader in luxury custom home building and renovations in and around the Colorado mountain resorts of Vail and Aspen, as well as urban centers in Denver and Boulder. The firm has accreditation from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), the National Custom Builders Council (NCBC), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The company works with talented subcontractors and world-class architects and designers that help it achieve outstanding results as seen in its portfolio of projects.
An outstanding representative of its long portfolio of new construction projects is the Wild Rose Home. This modern mountain home was recognized by Colorado Homes and Lifestyles as the 2020 Home of the Year of 2020. It features Brombal steel doors and windows, white oak wood, high ceilings, and an amazing indoor/outdoor space. These details are paired with tastefully curated furniture such as large sectionals and big chairs for that comfortable yet stylish look.
Meadow Mountain Homes
34215 Highway 6 Suite M1, Edwards, CO 81632
Established in 2005 by Sean and Ingrid McGinley, Meadow Mountain Homes is a boutique custom home builder in the Vail Valley of Colorado. The company holds an excellent reputation as a mountain home builder and is accredited by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Colorado, the USGBC, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Holding a spot in Mountain Living’s “The ML List: Top Mountain Builders,” Meadow Mountain Homes has created more than 50 custom homes with projects that range from new construction to renovations, including the Levitating Cubes. The 10,063-square-foot home comprises cube-shaped forms that stack and cantilever from the structure. The master suite is one of the home’s signature elements, cantilevering from the building, with glass walls on three sides. The units of the duplex home are separated by a large concrete demising wall 30 feet tall. The team used wood and glass to offset the structural steel and concrete.
For another project, the Meadow Mountain Homes team tore out an existing patio and added two new lower-level guest suites with a new kitchen and hearth room in its place. They also expanded the garage and added an outdoor patio with a fire-pit. The challenge came when the owners decided to spend the holidays at home, a full six weeks prior to the completion date. The subcontractors and the project team managed to deliver a newly renovated estate to the homeowners in time for the holidays.
Guida Construction
P.O. Box 760 Vail, CO 81658
Guida Construction is an award-winning contractor in the valley that has specialized in high-performance home building and custom remodeling for more than 30 years. It is one of the leading firms in the Vail Valley applying energy-efficient construction and sustainable building practices. The firm built the valley’s first green neighborhood. The company is accredited by the NAHB and was recognized by Mountain Living Magazine on its “The ML List” as one of its Top Mountain Builders.
The Edwards home built for Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin is an example of Guida Construction’s collection of energy-efficient homes. It has 100% LED lighting, triple-pane windows, and 96% efficient heating and water systems. With a HERS score of 19, the home is 81% more efficient than a new home built to code. The project team’s workmanship is reflected in the home’s split-stone trophy wall, 100-year-old reclaimed wood and a patina metal fireplace, an illuminating kitchen island, and in the use of glass and steel for a deck railing.
The company worked on a project that involved the dismantling of historic cabins which were transported and then reassembled as a triad on the owner’s site. The result is a trio of rustic log cabins with steel roofs: a 1,200-square-foot cabin contains the master suite; an 800-square-foot structure houses a guest-cabin duplex. The third and largest building acts as a lodge with bunks.
Sweet Homes of Colorado
0220 Buffalo Mountain Rd, Unit 105B, Silverthorne, CO 80498
Sweet Homes of Colorado is a residential construction company specializing in custom home building, custom project management, and general contracting, certified by the NAHB and BBB. With over 31 years of experience, the firm has developed a team approach to its projects by involving the clients, architects, interior designers, and engineers in a collaborative effort to design and define each project as accurately as possible.
Owner Eric Brownson—along with his team project managers and subcontractors—demonstrated this penchant for accuracy and efficiency when they constructed a 2,500-square-foot mountain home in 10 months. Excavation was challenging as the home is perched on a ridge surrounded by rare bristlecone pines, and the design is a large open span of 48 feet in the main part of the home. Sweet Homes was further challenged by the architect supplying all of the interior finishes, stone counters, cabinetry, appliances, and fixtures which were delivered to the site and installed by the team’s finish carpenters. Sweet Homes delivered exceptional work for the project, especially with managing costs, staying on schedule, and keeping the lines of communication open at all times.
Homeowners of another project had the same observation about Sweet Homes when it provided a difficult and extensive remodel of their mountain home. Eric recommended cost-saving opportunities along the way and suggested several value additions. The clients were very pleased with their professionalism and the team’s ability to troubleshoot surprises.
CHC Mountain Structures
PO Box 3026, Eagle, CO 81631
CHC Mountain Structures has provided custom home building, Extensive Home Remodels, and Luxury Condo Remodels accredited by the Eagle Chamber of Commerce and the BBB. CHC takes on three custom projects per year in order to ensure that the homeowners get the team’s full attention. CHC is also a contractor very familiar with the specific building requirements of the Town of Vail and the Homeowner’s Association.
CHC has provided several remodels in this building that dates back to 1971. The building required an update of all of its mechanical systems before the project team installed the beautiful finishes. The team opened up the kitchen of one of the building’s units to give it a modern floor plan and reconfigured the bedrooms so that both have their own en-suite bathroom. The neutral palette includes white custom cabinetry and marble counters contrasted with slate flooring in the kitchen, and wood flooring installed in a herringbone pattern in the living and dining rooms. The CHC team provided another remodel where they took the existing structure down to the studs, and rewired, replumbed, reinsulated, and brought the home up to current energy standards. A fourth floor was added as well as a total of 2,304 additional square feet.
CHC crafts practical and energy-efficient homes which require a dedication to excellence throughout the project life-cycle. The firm installed a state-of-the-art geothermal heating/cooling system in one of its projects that provided energy savings up to 70%. The team then used hand-hewn log timbers, rustic reclaimed barn wood, and hand-crafted metalwork.
Cohen Construction
210 Edwards Village Blvd, Unit A201, Edwards, CO 81632
Cohen Construction Inc. is a General Contracting firm established in 1987 by Jeffrey A. Cohen, a Certified Graduate Builder, Green Professional, and NAHB-Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. The firm offers new construction and remodeling services that are in accordance with the standards of the Colorado Association of Homebuilders and the Eagle Valley Homebuilders Association.
The firm’s portfolio of luxury custom homes includes this Mountain Modern home situated on a steep hillside. The home was adjoined to an existing residence, creating two separate, yet connected homes. The steepness of the site presented logistical challenges, but also presented the opportunity to create an outdoor living space that featured a hot tub, an outdoor fireplace, an outdoor kitchen, and a fire pit with comfortable seating. The firm used a blend of exposed structural steel with fine wood finishes and interior stone in different proportions to introduce texture. And it was all joined by clean, smooth contemporary lines.
The company has extensive expertise in providing big structural changes for home renovations. In the initial phase of a project, the team built a garage into the hillside and created living space above, resolving the problem of street parking below a high boulder retaining wall and creating a beautiful entry to this existing home. The team then proceeded by increasing the size of the living room, adding a new master bedroom wing, and improving the outdoor living space.
Slaugh Construction
P.O. Box 2141, Eagle, CO 81631
Slaugh Construction is a company of general and remodeling contractors that provide renovation services throughout the resort communities of the Vail Valley. For more than 14 years Slaugh Construction has been providing world-class remodels, additions, and general contracting services to primary homes, second homes, resort lodging, condos, townhomes, and businesses. Mountain Living Magazine included the company on its 2020 “ML List: Top Mountain Builders.”
Slaugh Construction completed a home renovation in which Andrew Slaugh—founder and third-generation builder—addressed the four main items on the homeowner’s priority list. The first was to open up the narrow, dark stairway to the residence’s second level. The second was to convert a loft that overlooked the living room into a space that could double as the granddaughter’s bedroom or media room. The third was to reconfigure two-bedroom suites for better space utilization; the fourth was to add interest to the home’s ceilings with clear alder beams. Slaugh Construction transformed the dark and dated 1980s property into a private retreat and vacation home in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
ULFBUILT
275 Main Street, C-105, Edwards, CO 81632
With over 15 years of dedication, ULFBUILT has established itself as one of the premier Vail general contractors. Its commitment to sustainability means a relentless focus on energy and water efficiency. ULFBUILT reaches high levels of sustainability through a grounded, practical, seasoned approach. The company stands out for its attention to detail, especially when it comes to finishes. It remodeled one of the Vail townhouses where it combined varied wood textures with marble, granite, and glass to evoke a modern, polished atmosphere. The kitchen and bathroom marble finishes are defining elements of another remodeling job. The simplicity of the white stone panels complements the modern hardware and appliances the ULFBUILT team selected for the space.
The team carefully chooses then plans all the details of all its projects. It completed a remodel where they juxtaposed cast glass and stainless steel against the old cabin log roof of the existing home. The latest in technology highlights the raw beauty of natural wood and flagstone.
Hoeft Builders West
281 Metcalf Road, Unit 202, Avon, CO 81620
Hoeft Builders West is a general contractor and construction management firm specializing in design/build, construction management, and real estate development projects throughout the Vail Valley. For over 15 years Hoeft Builders West has worked very closely with its clients and subcontractors as a team, starting with competitively bidding, interviewing, and personally selecting the appropriate trade for every division of the project. This method has proven to improve schedules and costs and is rooted in three foundational principles: honesty, loyalty, and integrity.
One of its most prominent projects is a nearly 9,000-square-foot Tuscan-style villa that required a basement-to-eaves makeover. The clients’ passion for gourmet meals and fine wines produced ambitious plans for their kitchen and wine cellar. Hoeft transformed a downstairs walk-in closet into a 482-square-foot temple of Bacchus. Custom-made shelves were fashioned from the staves of Napa oak barrels to cradle and celebrate each and every bottle. Hoeft spent a copious time physically measuring the client’s specific bottle layout and designing the cabinets to accommodate. The cellar was installed with a security system and a custom environmental control system that maintains the cellar at a perpetual 55 degrees and 65 percent humidity. There is also an adjacent wet bar with a dramatically LED-lit countertop made from a golden-hued granite-quartz quarried from South America. The floor was made from imported limestone sourced from Bordeaux; hardwood finishes from Germany’s Black Forest complete the effect.
