Osborne Builders
Osborne Builders
Telluride, CO
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Osborne Builders
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions we hear most from prospective clients about cost, timelines, process, and what it takes to build well in the San Juans.
Custom home costs in Telluride typically run from roughly $1,200 to $2,500+ per square foot, depending on site, finish level, structural complexity, and access. Our projects span small alpine remodels to $20M+ residences. Rather than quote a number sight-unseen, we put together a preconstruction budget tied to your specific site, drawings, and finish direction so the numbers reflect what you are actually building.
Most ground-up custom homes in our market run 18 to 30 months from design start to move-in. Design and permitting typically take 6 to 12 months, construction another 14 to 24. Mountain Village and historic Telluride permitting, alpine weather windows, and material lead times all factor in. We build a realistic schedule during preconstruction and update it monthly so you always know where you stand.
We work cost-plus with a fixed builder fee, and we share the underlying costs with our clients. Every invoice that touches your project flows through a structured budget by line item, and you receive a monthly draw package showing exactly what was spent, against which line, with the source documents attached. There are no marked-up subcontractor invoices and no hidden margin on materials.
Three things. First, we are family-owned and intentionally small — Brent personally oversees every project, and we only take on a handful of builds at once. Second, our crew is full-time, local, and has worked together for years, which shows up in the fit and finish. Third, our financial reporting is unusually transparent for this market — clients see line-item costs, change orders, and projections in real time rather than waiting on a monthly summary.
Both. We take on substantial remodels and historic renovations alongside ground-up custom homes. Remodels in Telluride's older housing stock require careful sequencing — structural surprises, dated systems, and tight sites are normal — so we approach them with the same preconstruction rigor as a new build.
Very. We take on a small number of projects each year because the level of attention we give every build is incompatible with running a high volume of work. We look for owners and architects who value craftsmanship, communication, and a collaborative process. If we are not the right fit for a particular project, we will say so early and recommend another builder.
Alpine construction has real constraints: short build seasons, freeze-thaw cycles that punish poor detailing, snow loads, UV exposure, wildfire considerations, and limited material logistics. Roof assemblies, ice damming, mechanical sizing, and foundation drainage all need to be designed for this environment specifically. Two decades of building here means we know which assemblies hold up and which ones fail.
As involved as you want to be. Most owners join a weekly or biweekly site walk, attend selection meetings during the relevant phases, and review monthly draw packages. Owners who live out of state get the same updates plus a digital archive of progress photos and documents. Decisions that affect cost, schedule, or design are surfaced in writing before we proceed.
Yes. We provide a one-year workmanship warranty on the home, plus the manufacturer warranties that pass through on materials and equipment. Equally important, we are still here after you move in — most of our clients call us directly when something needs attention years down the road, and we respond.
Reach out via the contact page or email info@osbornebuilders.com with a few sentences about your project — location, scope, timing, and architect if you have one. We will set up an initial conversation, walk the site if it makes sense, and discuss whether a preconstruction engagement is the right next step.