Frequently Asked Questions

Your Building Questions, Answered

  • Our Integrated Vision System™ unifies design and construction from day one, eliminating the gaps and miscommunications that often derail custom builds.

    With our comprehensive planning approach, we deliver your conceptual design and detailed budget within 45 days—a process that typically takes six months or more with traditional firms. Our in-house team meticulously aligns vision and execution, ensuring a seamless, stress-free experience. In fact, we’re so confident in our ability to stay on schedule, we’ll pay you $10,000 if we don’t.

    Refined over years of experience in Boulder County, this system prevents the delays, budget overruns, and inefficiencies that impact 90% of high-end custom builds and remodels.

  • You’ll connect with Dylan, Tectonic’s founder, to discuss your project goals, vision, and budget. He’ll walk you through our Integrated Vision System™, so you understand exactly how we design and build. You’ll also receive a high-level estimate based on similar projects, giving you a clear starting point.

  • Yes! After our discovery call, we’ll schedule a complimentary site visit with Dylan and our design team. This allows us to evaluate your space, understand your goals, and ensure our approach aligns with your needs.

  • We use a detailed, upfront budgeting process that accounts for every aspect of your project, minimizing surprises and ensuring financial transparency from day one.

  • Costs are influenced by scope, material selections, structural requirements, and unforeseen site conditions, but our comprehensive planning phase helps anticipate and mitigate these variables.

  • Yes, but any changes will be carefully reviewed and approved in advance to ensure they align with your overall goals and timeline.

  • Timelines vary based on scope and complexity, but our Integrated Vision System™ ensures a clear schedule and proactive management to keep your project on track.

  • Delays often stem from material lead times, permitting, or unforeseen conditions, but our detailed pre-construction planning minimizes risks and ensures seamless execution.

  • Our team provides regular updates, clear milestones, and proactive communication so you always know where your project stands.

  • Our fixed-price contracts outline all costs upfront, including materials, labor, and project management, eliminating unexpected expenses.

  • Unlike cost-plus contracts, which can fluctuate, our fixed-price model ensures financial predictability, so you know exactly what to expect.

  • Our thorough planning process anticipates most variables, but if unforeseen costs arise, we’ll review options with you before proceeding — no surprises.

  • At Tectonic, we minimize waste by prioritizing deconstruction over demolition, diverting materials like appliances, hardwood, and doors from landfills. We upcycle these materials through Boulder’s Resource Central and help you source new materials that align with your values and design goals.

  • As certified Passive House designers and builders, we prioritize high-performance building techniques to create a comfortable, energy-efficient, and healthy living environment. This includes:

    • Enhanced insulation for year-round comfort

    • ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilation) systems for continuous fresh air

    • High-performance windows to reduce energy loss

    • Passive heating and cooling strategies to lower energy consumption

  • Material selections happen during our pre-construction phase, ensuring availability, accurate budgeting, and smooth scheduling.

  • Traditional construction requires hiring a designer, architect, and builder separately, often leaving you to manage communication, timelines, and budgets on your own.

    With design-build, everything is handled in-house—one dedicated team oversees your entire project, ensuring seamless execution, clear communication, and total accountability from start to finish.

  • Design-build is a more efficient, cost-effective approach to custom construction. With one unified team, communication between designers, architects, and builders is streamlined—eliminating costly delays and ensuring every detail is executed flawlessly. Our project managers keep you informed at every stage, so you can enjoy the process without surprises or setbacks.

  • We provide curated options that align with your vision and budget, but you’re welcome to explore other selections—we’ll guide you through feasibility and impact.

  • We proactively manage availability and ordering to prevent delays, and we’ll discuss alternative options if timing becomes an issue.

  • An independent architect focuses on design but isn’t directly involved in budgeting or construction execution, which can lead to misalignment and costly revisions. At Tectonic, our AIA-accredited, licensed architect works directly with our builders and project managers from day one, ensuring a seamless, efficient process where design, budget, and construction are fully aligned.

  • Our AIA-accredited, licensed architect collaborates with builders, engineers, and project managers to ensure your home is not only beautifully designed but also practical, buildable, and cost-effective. This integrated approach prevents common issues like over-designing beyond budget, construction delays, and last-minute changes.

  • Yes, but our design-build model eliminates the gaps that often arise between independent architects and builders. If you already have an architect, we’ll work to align their vision with our proven, fully integrated process to ensure a smooth and efficient build. Our in-house licensed, AIA-accredited architect can also provide additional expertise to refine the design and construction details.

  • Traditional architects design without real-time cost input, which often leads to expensive redesigns once bids come in. At Tectonic, our AIA-accredited architect collaborates with our build team from the start, ensuring that every design decision is aligned with your budget—preventing cost overruns and keeping your project on track.

  • Absolutely. Our AIA-accredited, licensed architect specializes in high-end, custom home design, balancing aesthetics, function, and construction feasibility. Because they work in direct partnership with our builders, they ensure that every element is thoughtfully designed, structurally sound, and executed to the highest standards.

Get the conversation started today — we’re listening.