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Colorado's wildfire building code adds 0.6% to 10.8% to the cost of building a new home, according to a University of Colorado Boulder report released October 20, 2026. Researchers at CIRES priced wildfire-resilient construction in eight Colorado counties and found most of the extra cost comes from one item: the deck. If you are buying new construction in Monument, Colorado Springs, Golden, Evergreen or Boulder, here is what the Colorado wildfire code means for your price and your payment.
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0.6%-10.8% Added cost to build a new home Meeting the state wildfire code, per CIRES | 1.2 pts Gap between protection levels without decks Down from 10.2 points with decks |
85%-90% Share of cost in foundation, framing, floors Wildfire items are the smaller slice | 25% Repair share that triggers the code On an existing roof or exterior walls |
What the CIRES report found
The University of Colorado Boulder announced the study on October 20, and Daily Dispatch covered it October 21. A team led by CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, compared five ways to build a new home, from typical pre-code construction to stricter wildfire standards. The counties studied were Boulder, Jefferson, El Paso, Summit, Grand, Delta, La Plata and Las Animas.
The result: a home built to the new code in an at-risk area costs 0.6% to 10.8% more than one built the old way. Per CIRES, foundation, framing, floors and insulation make up 85% to 90% of total construction cost. The wildfire items, roofing, siding, vents, windows, doors, decks and nearby landscaping, are a smaller part of the budget. Decks drove most of the difference between protection levels: take decks out and the gap shrinks from 10.2 percentage points to 1.2. The researchers say the increase held steady across counties with different labor markets.
"Colorado needs more affordable housing, and the homes we build today will shape our communities' wildfire risk for decades," said Virginia Iglesias, CIRES scientist and director of Earth Lab.
What the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code requires
Senate Bill 23-166 created a state board to write the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, and the Colorado Municipal League reports the board adopted it on July 1, 2025. It sets minimum standards for new homes in designated wildland-urban interface areas. Per CIRES, the standards come in two groups: protection from wind-blown embers, and added protection from radiant heat and direct flame.
The Gazette, as reprinted by Fire Engineering in May, reported that local governments with wildland-urban interface areas had to adopt the code by April 1, 2026 and be in compliance by July 1, 2026. Existing homes are covered too: when a repair covers more than 25% of a roof or exterior walls, that work has to meet the new standards. Local governments can draw their own maps with three wildfire intensity levels; where none exists, a default state map applies. Some counties change the state version: Garfield County, for one, dropped the state exemption for parcels of 35 acres or more.
| What it touches | What changes for you |
|---|---|
| New homes in wildland-urban interface areas | Built to ember protection, or ember plus flame and heat protection |
| Roofing, siding, vents, windows, doors | Ignition-resistant products, the wildfire share of the build budget |
| Decks | The biggest cost driver between protection levels, per CIRES |
| Existing roofs and exterior walls | A repair over 25% has to meet the code |
| Your location | Local or default state map sets the wildfire intensity level |
How this affects you
Buyers. On a $600,000 build, 0.6% to 10.8% is $3,600 to $64,800. Financed at 7.40% with 10% down, that adds $22 to $404 a month in principal and interest. Ask the builder which protection level the home meets and what the deck is made of, since the deck drives most of the gap. Compare new construction homes in Colorado and run the numbers on the Colorado mortgage calculator.
Sellers. If your foothills home already has ignition-resistant roofing, siding and vents, say so in the listing. A buyer comparing your home to a code-built new home wants to know what upgrades they would have to pay for. Get a free home value report and read whether to repair or replace your roof before selling.
Homeowners. The 25% rule matters after a hailstorm. If more than 25% of a roof in a wildland-urban interface area needs repair and the old materials do not meet the code, the whole roof has to be replaced, per The Gazette's example. Check your policy's code-upgrade coverage now, not after the storm. See Colorado hail-resistant roof grants.
The Colorado market. Foothills and mountain homes already sit longer than the metro: 89 days in Evergreen, 102 in Monument and 136 in Breckenridge on kennarealestate.com today, compared with 86 in Denver. Builders who show the code costs up front give buyers one less reason to wait. More context: Denver now has 68% more sellers than buyers.
What to watch out for
- The deck line item. Decks drove most of the cost gap in the CIRES study. Ask for the deck material and price in writing.
- The 25% repair trigger. A partial roof or siding repair can turn into a full replacement under the code. Know your coverage before a claim.
- Which map applies. Your local government's map or the default state map sets the requirements. Ask the building department before you buy land or plan an addition.
- Local changes. Counties can remove state exemptions, as Garfield County did for 35-acre parcels. Read your county's version.
- Insurance is separate. A code-built home still needs insurance shopped early. See Colorado's wildfire risk score law.
How to buy new construction in a Colorado wildfire area
To buy new construction in a Colorado wildfire area, confirm the code level, price the deck and line up insurance before your deadlines. Here is the order we use with our buyers:
- Ask the builder whether the home meets ember protection or ember plus flame and heat protection.
- Get the deck, roof, siding and vent specs in writing.
- Apply for insurance the day you go under contract. Read the insurance checks every Denver metro buyer makes.
- Price the payment at today's Colorado mortgage rates and budget your closing costs in Colorado.
- Ask about builder incentives and a rate buydown: see the 3-2-1 rate buydown program.
Foothills and mountain homes for sale today
Active listings on kennarealestate.com, October 21, 2026
| Area | Homes for sale | Average list price | Average days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | 3,110 | $564,871 | 83 |
| Boulder | 638 | $1,612,364 | 88 |
| Castle Rock | 552 | $1,024,878 | 87 |
| Monument | 256 | $828,068 | 102 |
| Golden | 254 | $1,106,129 | 89 |
| Evergreen | 222 | $1,335,476 | 89 |
| Breckenridge | 111 | $3,090,057 | 136 |
| Conifer | 80 | $1,263,317 | 81 |
| Winter Park | 46 | $1,316,528 | 123 |
Active residential listings on kennarealestate.com on October 21, 2026. In Monument, 151 homes are listed between $500,000 and $900,000. Browse El Paso County, Boulder County, Jefferson County, Summit County and Grand County homes for sale.
