At RKM Homes we design and build custom houses on your Denver lot, and our base price is intended to cover the structural and functional essentials that get a high-quality home from concept to move-in ready. That typically includes site preparation and a standard foundation (typical slab, crawlspace or basement per lot conditions), full framing and roof, exterior finishes (siding/brick/stone per plan up to a standard material allowance), energy‑efficient windows and exterior doors, basic gutters and roofing, and the core mechanical systems: HVAC sized to the home, water heater, plumbing rough‑ins and fixtures, and a complete electrical system with a main panel and standard lighting/outlet package.
On the interior, most builders’ base packages—what you can generally expect when building with RKM Homes—include a mid‑grade kitchen and bath package: semi‑custom or shaker‑style cabinetry with soft‑close hinges, engineered stone or mid‑grade quartz countertops, a standard appliance suite (range, microwave/hood, dishwasher, garbage disposal), and basic backsplash and hardware allowances. Bathrooms normally come with vanities, countertops, tub/shower units or tiled surrounds to a set tile allowance, and standard plumbing fixtures. Flooring allowances typically cover carpet in bedrooms and a durable plank or LVP in main living areas; interior finishes include painted walls, base and trim, interior doors, closet shelving, an insulated garage door, and basic front‑yard grading and seeding or sod. Appliances, exact fixture brands, and finish levels are usually specified as allowances so you can pick selections within a defined budget.
What’s frequently outside the base price are luxury or fully custom upgrades and lot‑specific costs: premium appliances, custom or higher‑end cabinetry, upgraded stone or large‑format tile, wide‑plank hardwood, extensive millwork or built‑ins, high‑end plumbing and lighting fixtures, extensive landscaping, patios/decks/outdoor kitchens, fireplaces or structural plan changes, solar systems, and smart‑home packages. Significant lot work—retaining walls, complex grading, rock excavation, off‑site utility extensions, septic or well systems, special foundation types for steep or walkout lots—and municipal permit or tap fees are commonly billed separately. We recommend reviewing an itemized inclusions and allowances list with your builder early so you know which materials and systems are included in the base price and where upgrade decisions will impact your final budget—RKM Homes provides that detailed breakdown during the estimate and design phases.
What interior finishes are included in a Denver custom home’s base price, and which items are typically charged as upgrades?
On our projects and most Denver custom builds, the base price usually includes a clearly defined “standard” finish package: a mid-grade kitchen cabinet (painted or stained shaker style, box construction typically MDF or particleboard with soft-close hinges), a standard countertop allowance (often quartz or an equivalent surface up to a set linear-foot/price), basic stainless-steel appliances or an appliance allowance, vinyl or carpet in secondary areas and LVP in main living spaces, painted solid-core interior doors, standard plumbing fixtures in chrome, and ceramic tile in primary wet areas to a baseline size and layout. We put those items in the contract as a finish schedule or allowance so homeowners know exactly which models, colors, and performance levels are covered without additional cost.
Typical upgrades that owners elect beyond the base package are higher-spec cabinetry (plywood boxes, dovetail drawers, full-overlay or custom designs), premium stone counters (quartzite, thicker slabs, book-matched seams), hardwood flooring (engineered or site-finished species and wider planks), higher-end plumbing fixtures and finishes (brass, black, designer lines), frameless glass showers, upgraded tile patterns, and custom millwork. As a practical reference for planning: expect cabinetry upgrades to range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on scope, quartz-to-natural-stone countertop swaps commonly run $3,000–$10,000 extra, and premium flooring often adds $8–$18+/sq ft installed in Denver—costs vary with species, vendor, and complexity.
To avoid surprises, we advise homeowners to ask for a detailed, itemized finish schedule and to confirm whether key items are allowances (and the exact dollar amount) or specified models. Prioritize upgrades that affect the house broadly—flooring species and kitchen cabinet footprint—because those are costly to change later. Get written costs for popular upgrade packages, understand lead times for specialty items, and include a contingency (we typically recommend 5–10% of your finish budget) so change orders for selections or upgrades don’t derail the schedule or your overall budget.
What structural and exterior features are typically included in a Denver custom home’s base price (foundation, roof, siding, windows, exterior doors)?
We normally include a code-compliant poured foundation package in the base price: excavation, footings, concrete walls or slab, standard damp-proofing and a perimeter drain routed to a sump rough‑in for basements. On typical Denver lots that don’t require special soils work you’ll see standard foundation depths and footing sizes; anything beyond that (engineered piers, deeper footings for poor soils, or full membrane waterproofing) is treated as a site- or soils-driven upgrade. A practical step for buyers is to ask for the foundation spec sheet up front so you can see what’s standard vs. what your lot’s geotechnical report will force into a change order.
For roofing and cladding, our base package usually includes dimensional (architectural) asphalt shingles with standard underlayment, ridge ventilation, and ice-and-water shield in critical areas, plus a commonly specified exterior cladding such as fiber‑cement lap or stucco on the primary elevations. Upgrades that homeowners frequently choose in Denver are metal roofs, premium shingle lines, full-height cultured stone or real wood siding, and heavier‑duty underlayment/venting systems for high-snow or high-sun exposures. When reviewing proposals, ask which roofing brand and warranty are included, what venting strategy is specified, and how window and door openings are flashed and integrated with the weather‑resistant barrier — those details make a big difference in long‑term performance.
Windows and exterior doors in the base price typically meet local energy-code requirements: double‑pane, low‑E glass (often argon filled) in vinyl or aluminum‑clad frames for operable units, and a standard insulated fiberglass entry door and a two‑panel sliding or French patio door. Common upgrades are triple‑pane units, wood‑clad frames, oversized multi‑slide glass doors, and higher-performance fenestration with better U‑factor and SHGC ratings. My practical advice is to demand the actual performance numbers (U‑value and SHGC) and model names in writing, confirm standard door hardware and sill details for weather resistance, and decide early whether you want the higher-performance glazing package — it’s one of the easiest ways to improve comfort and reduce energy use, but it’s typically priced as an upgrade.
What mechanical, electrical, plumbing and energy-efficiency upgrades are typically included in a Denver custom home’s base price?
We usually include a complete, code-compliant mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) package in the base price: a sized forced‑air heating system with central cooling or a conventional heat pump, a standard gas or electric storage water heater, basic ductwork and ventilation, 200‑amp main electric service with standard breaker panel, general lighting and outlet wiring, and finished plumbing fixtures and drains. Insulation and air‑sealing to meet the current Colorado/Denver energy code are provided as part of the base build, and we install standard builder‑grade appliances and a thermostat unless you select upgraded models. Those baseline items are laid out in the specifications attachment to your contract — always review the exact model numbers and efficiency ratings we list so you know what you’re actually getting.
Common upgrades homeowners ask for that are usually priced separately include high‑efficiency heat pumps or multi‑zone mini‑splits, variable‑speed furnaces, tankless on‑demand water heaters, closed‑cell spray foam insulation, ERV/HRV whole‑house ventilation, and ENERGY STAR appliance packages. Electrical upgrades—such as a 240V EV charger circuit, larger or dual service panels, generator transfer switches, or smart home systems—are quoted as add‑ons. Ballpark out‑of‑pocket expectations: a higher‑efficiency heat pump or multi‑zone mini‑split can add several thousand to low‑five figures depending on zones; spray foam commonly ranges in the mid‑thousands; an ERV is typically a few thousand; an EV charger circuit is often under $2,000 unless panel upgrades are required. Exact pricing varies with home size, duct complexity and site conditions, so get firm quotes early.
Practical steps we recommend: ask the builder for the MEP spec sheet and exact model numbers (SEER, AFUE, HSPF, energy factor for water heaters) and demand the HVAC load calculation and duct‑design report so upgrades aren’t undersized later. Have the contract list which efficiency levels are included and the fixed price for common upgrades so you can compare options apples‑to‑apples. Finally, factor operating cost differences—higher efficiency systems usually cost more up front but reduce winter heating bills in Denver’s climate—into your decision, and schedule any mechanical or electrical upgrades during the initial build rather than as a retrofit.
What site development and lot-specific costs are usually included in a Denver custom home’s base price?
As a builder in Denver, we typically include the basic site work needed to get a house built and backfilled: excavation to establish a buildable pad to typical basement depth (unless rock or deep basements are required), rough grading to shed water away from the foundation, temporary erosion control during construction, a standard driveway connection to the street, and basic utility stub‑ins at the lot line. Simple front‑yard finish (seed or basic sod and a minimal irrigation stub) is often part of the base scope, but anything beyond a functional finish—decorative paving, mature landscaping, large planting beds or irrigation controllers—is usually treated as an upgrade.
Denver lots bring predictable extras that commonly fall outside the base price. Shallow bedrock, steep slopes, and required engineered drainage systems are frequent cost drivers: rock excavation, blasting or saw‑cutting for basements or footings, and engineered retaining walls or stormwater detention can add substantially to the bill. Municipal requirements (curb cuts, driveway aprons, stormwater mitigation) and HOA landscaping standards can also create line‑item charges. We price the “standard” driveway as a short concrete apron; extended driveways, paver drives, long utility runs, and hauling off excess cut or importing fill are usually quoted as upgrades once the site survey and geotechnical report define conditions.
Practical steps homeowners can take: require a site‑specific scope from the builder based on a topographic survey and geotechnical report, and ask for clear line‑item pricing for grading, drainage solutions, retaining walls, driveway options, landscaping packages, and rock excavation so you can compare upgrades directly. Confirm who pays for municipal items like curb cuts or storm ties, and plan a site‑work contingency (we typically advise budgeting for the variability of Denver lots) so unforeseen rock or additional retaining needs don’t derail your schedule or budget.
What builder allowances, exclusions, change-order process, contract terms, and warranties should I understand to know which upgrades are included in my Denver custom home’s base price?
As a Denver custom home builder, I encourage clients to treat “allowances” as placeholders, not promises. An allowance is a dollar amount in the contract for an item whose final selection is deferred — for example a lighting package or countertop — and if the actual product costs more than the allowance you pay the difference; if it costs less you typically receive a credit. Practical steps: insist on line-item allowances (not lump-sum “finishes”), get current vendor price lists or example models attached to the contract, and ask for written upgrade pricing before closing the contract so you can convert allowances to firm selections and avoid surprises during construction.
Know exactly what your contract explicitly excludes and how change orders are handled. Exclusions are anything not listed in the specifications; the practical way to avoid disputes is to require a complete spec sheet in the contract and to mark any desired upgrades as either “included” or “allowance.” Make sure the change-order process is spelled out: all changes must be written, include a fixed or capped markup, state who pays for permit updates or inspection rework, and show any resulting schedule extension. Limit exposure by setting an owner-approval threshold for pricing (e.g., we won’t process changes over $1,000 without written approval) and group foreseeable upgrades before construction starts — mid-build changes are almost always costlier and slower.
Read the contract clauses on payments, remedies, and warranties with a focus on enforceable obligations. Ask for a schedule of values so you can see what each draw pays for and require conditional lien waivers with each payment. For warranties, get the builder’s workmanship warranty in writing (what is covered, claim procedure, response times) and collect manufacturer warranties for appliances and systems at closing. Holdback practices protect you: keep a small retained amount until the punch list is complete rather than making the final full payment immediately, and require the contract to state how warranty callbacks will be handled so you aren’t left chasing subcontractors after move-in.