One Team.
From First Sketch
Through Final Key.
Design-Build is a fundamentally different way to deliver a custom mountain home — one that brings the builder into the process earlier, aligns design with construction reality from the start, and creates a more integrated, accountable path to completion.
Traditional Delivery
- Architect and builder hired separately
- Builder joins after design is complete
- Cost surprises discovered late
- Divided accountability between teams
- Design changes are costly to absorb
- Owner manages multiple contracts
Design-Build
- Single integrated team from day one
- Builder input shapes design decisions
- Real-time cost visibility throughout
- Unified accountability to the owner
- Design evolves with construction reality
- Single point of contact and contract
The Mountain Environment Demands Early Builder Involvement
Alpine construction is unforgiving. Designs that work beautifully on paper can run into serious complications when they meet the realities of steep terrain, extreme snow loads, short construction windows, limited site access, and the exacting requirements of Mountain Village's Design Review Board.
When a builder is involved early in the design process, those complications are identified and resolved before they become expensive problems. Structural systems are designed with construction feasibility in mind. Material selections are made with alpine performance — not just aesthetics — as a primary criterion. Scheduling is planned around seasonal realities from the start.
Two decades of building in Telluride and Mountain Village has given us a precise understanding of where traditional design processes fall short in this environment — and how early builder engagement changes those outcomes dramatically.
Constructability Review
Every design decision is evaluated for alpine constructability before it is finalized — eliminating costly redesigns during construction.
Real-Time Cost Control
Continuous budget modeling throughout the design phase means the project that reaches construction is the project the owner approved — with no surprises.
DRB Strategy
Mountain Village Design Review Board requirements are integrated into the design process from the beginning, protecting the project timeline.
Seasonal Planning
Construction sequencing is planned in parallel with design, so the project is positioned to maximize every available weather window.
Discovery & Vision
We begin by deeply understanding your goals, your site, your lifestyle, and your budget — before any design work begins. This foundation shapes every decision that follows and ensures the design process starts with complete clarity.
Integrated Design
Working alongside your chosen architect or our design partners, we provide continuous constructability and cost input throughout schematic design and design development. No drawing set leaves a phase without our review and sign-off on feasibility.
Pre-Construction
Permitting, subcontractor selection, material procurement, and detailed scheduling are completed in parallel with final design — so the project is positioned to begin construction the moment approvals are in hand.
Construction
Direct leadership presence on site throughout construction. Transparent budget reporting, proactive scheduling, and consistent communication with the owner — from first excavation through structural completion and finish installation.
Completion & Closeout
Meticulous project closeout, comprehensive documentation, and a detailed walkthrough of every system in your home. We remain available long after completion to support your ownership experience.
Every phase is managed by the same leadership team — from first conversation through final key.
Who Design-Build Works Best For
Design-Build is not the right approach for every project or every owner. It works best for a specific type of client and a specific type of project.
If you are starting from scratch — with land but no architect yet selected — Design-Build allows us to help shape the team and the process from the very beginning, which is where the greatest value is created.
If you have a trusted architect you want to work with, we can structure a collaborative Design-Build process that brings us in as an integrated partner alongside your design team without disrupting those relationships.
Design-Build is an excellent fit if you are:
Starting with land and beginning the design process from scratch
Prioritizing budget certainty and cost transparency throughout design
Seeking a single accountable partner rather than managing multiple contracts
Building remotely and needing a highly organized, communicative team
Concerned about alpine-specific constructability and long-term performance
Valuing a streamlined, lower-friction path to a completed home
The best mountain homes we have built are the ones where we were involved before the first line was drawn. That early involvement is where we add the most value — and where the owner benefits most from our experience.
Shumway Construction & Development
Serving Telluride, Mountain Village, and the surrounding San Juan Mountains region of Colorado.