What’s on the outside matters too:
Municipalities in the high country, especially those with a strong historical preservation imperative, often impose strict design guidelines governing the architectural style and use of exterior materials within historic districts. New homes and remodels in the Victorian Era ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado must “fit in” with their historic neighborhoods in terms of design, color, height, and size, allowing the town to remain true to its heritage. These strict design and review requirements extend the approval and design process resulting in higher costs. Many Home Owner Associations in the high country impose design requirements to include specific and costly exterior materials, a certain percentage of quarried stone per elevation, extensive landscaping, and a high standard of architectural quality, diversity, and complexity all resulting in a multi-layered design review process that could take as long as 6 months to complete. The result of all this additional attention to detail is usually a distinct community populated by homes with strong architectural integrity and character.
Our next blog posting concludes the discussion while considering labor and location costs.
