Building a Custom Home in Cherry Hills Village

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Gemini Prompt: Ultra-realistic photo of a finished custom home on a large lot in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado — mature trees, well-proportioned architecture, wide green lawn, quiet residential street, afternoon light, 16:9 aspect ratio, luxury residential photography

Cherry Hills Village is one of the most desirable addresses in the Denver metro area, and for good reason. Large lots, mature trees, quiet streets, top-rated schools, and proximity to everything Denver has to offer make it an exceptional place to build a home you plan to stay in for a long time.

But building a custom home in Cherry Hills Village is not the same as building on a raw lot in a new development. This is an established, carefully managed community with its own rules, character, and expectations. If you are thinking about buying a lot here and building, or tearing down an existing home to start fresh, there is a lot to understand before you break ground.

This guide covers what makes Cherry Hills Village unique as a building environment, what the process looks like, what it costs, and what to look for in a builder who actually knows this community.

What Makes Cherry Hills Village a Unique Place to Build

Cherry Hills Village is an incorporated city in Arapahoe County, situated between Denver and Greenwood Village. It is one of the wealthiest communities in Colorado and consistently ranks among the top places to live in the state. The community is defined by its residential character. There are no commercial zones within the city limits. What you have are homes, open space, horse properties, and the kind of quiet that is genuinely hard to find close to a major city.

Lots in Cherry Hills Village tend to be large by Denver metro standards, often one acre or more. Many properties have mature landscaping and trees that have been growing for decades. That is part of what makes the community beautiful, and it is also something that affects how you build. Mature trees have protection requirements. Site planning needs to account for canopy, root zones, and drainage in ways that a bare lot in a new subdivision simply does not.

The schools served by Cherry Hills Village, including Cherry Creek School District, are among the most sought-after in the Denver metro area. For families, that is often the deciding factor.

Teardown and Rebuild vs. Building on a Vacant Lot

Vacant lots in Cherry Hills Village are rare. Most custom home projects in the community involve purchasing an existing property, demolishing the existing structure, and building new. This is called a teardown and rebuild, and it is a very different process from building on raw land.

What a Teardown Project Involves

A teardown project starts with due diligence on the existing property. Before you buy, you need to understand what you are working with. That means reviewing the existing structure for hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint that require licensed abatement before demolition. It means understanding the lot’s setbacks, easements, and any deed restrictions that affect what can be built. And it means having a builder or architect assess the site conditions, drainage, and utility access.

Demo permits are required through the City of Cherry Hills Village. Abatement work needs to happen before any demolition begins. And the site needs to be properly prepared before new construction starts. A good builder will walk you through all of this before you close on the property, not after.

Buying a Lot and Building New

When a vacant lot does come available in Cherry Hills Village, it moves quickly. If you find one, you will want a builder who can help you assess it before you make an offer. Lot evaluation should include a review of topography, drainage, soil conditions, utility access, setback requirements, and any restrictions on the property. What looks like a straightforward lot can have complications that are not obvious until someone experienced looks at it carefully.

Zoning, Permits, and the Approval Process in Cherry Hills Village

Cherry Hills Village has its own city government and planning department. Building permits are issued by the city, and the review process reflects the community’s commitment to maintaining its residential character. Understanding this process before you start designing saves time and frustration.

Setbacks and Building Envelope

Every lot in Cherry Hills Village has setback requirements that define how close a structure can be to the property lines. Front, rear, and side setbacks vary by zoning district. Your building envelope, meaning the area within which your home can actually be built, is defined by these setbacks, any easements on the property, and sometimes by specific restrictions in the deed or subdivision covenants.

Understanding your building envelope before you finalize a design is essential. A home that looks great on paper can run into problems if it was designed without a clear understanding of what the lot actually allows.

Tree Protection Requirements

Cherry Hills Village takes its tree canopy seriously. Significant trees on a property may be subject to protection requirements during construction. This affects site planning, equipment access, and how construction staging is handled. A builder who has worked in Cherry Hills Village before will know how to plan around these requirements from the start rather than running into them mid-project.

The Permit and Review Timeline

Plan review and permit issuance through Cherry Hills Village takes time. For a new custom home, you should expect several months between submitting for permits and receiving approval to start construction. That timeline needs to be built into your project schedule from the beginning. A builder who is not familiar with the local process may underestimate this and create false expectations about when you can break ground.

Design Considerations for Building in Cherry Hills Village

The homes in Cherry Hills Village vary considerably in age and style. You will find mid-century ranch homes, traditional brick colonials, contemporary new builds, and everything in between. There is no single architectural style that dominates, but the community has a clear expectation of quality and scale that influences how new homes are designed.

Scale and Proportion

With large lots comes the temptation to build large homes. But scale relative to the lot and the neighborhood matters. A home that overwhelms its site or looks out of place among its neighbors can create friction with the community and with the city’s review process. Good design in Cherry Hills Village works with the lot and the surrounding context, not against it.

Indoor-Outdoor Connection

One of the biggest advantages of building on a large lot in Cherry Hills Village is the opportunity to create a genuine connection between the interior of the home and the outdoor spaces. Covered patios, pool areas, sport courts, and mature landscaping can all be integrated into the design in ways that are simply not possible on a smaller urban lot. Getting the most out of a property like this requires thinking about the site holistically from the very beginning of the design process.

Working With the Site’s Existing Features

Mature trees, grade changes, and existing vegetation are assets, not obstacles. The best custom homes in Cherry Hills Village work with what the site already offers. A skilled builder will help you think through how to preserve what is worth preserving and how to use the natural features of the lot to your advantage.

What It Costs to Build a Custom Home in Cherry Hills Village

Custom home costs in Cherry Hills Village reflect both the quality expectations of the market and the real costs of building in an established, regulated community. Most custom homes built here fall in the range of $1,000,000 to $2,500,000 or more for construction costs alone, not including land.

Several factors drive costs at this level of the market:

• High-quality finishes and materials are the expectation, not the exception. Homes in Cherry Hills Village are competing with a high standard, and finish selections need to reflect that.
• Teardown and site preparation costs are real. Demo, abatement, and site work add costs that a new development lot does not have.
• Larger homes on larger lots mean more of everything: more framing, more mechanical systems, more finish work, more landscaping.
• Permitting and review timelines affect project schedules, which affects carrying costs for the homeowner.

Getting an accurate budget for a Cherry Hills Village project requires a specific lot, a defined program, and a detailed proposal from a builder who knows the market. Ballpark numbers from national averages or general contractors unfamiliar with this community are not reliable starting points.

Choosing the Right Builder for a Cherry Hills Village Project

Not every builder is the right fit for a project in Cherry Hills Village. You want someone who has built here before, who understands the permitting process, who has relationships with the subcontractors who do this level of work, and who you can trust to manage a complex project with a high level of personal attention.

Anderson Construction has been building and renovating homes in Cherry Hills Village and the surrounding communities for over two decades. Ben Anderson is personally involved in every project. He knows the city, he knows the process, and he understands what it takes to build a home that belongs in this community.

If you are thinking about a project in Cherry Hills Village and want to have a real conversation about what it takes and what it costs, reach out to schedule a discovery call.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build a custom home in Cherry Hills Village, or is it all existing homes?

You can absolutely build a custom home in Cherry Hills Village. Most new construction in the community involves purchasing an existing property, demolishing the existing home, and building new. Vacant lots are rare but do come available. Either way, working with a builder who knows the community’s process and requirements is essential.

How long does it take to build a custom home in Cherry Hills Village?

From the start of design through certificate of occupancy, a custom home in Cherry Hills Village typically takes 18 to 24 months or more. The permitting and review process through the city takes several months. Construction of a home at this scale takes additional time depending on size and complexity. Building in a realistic timeline from the beginning sets the right expectations and avoids frustration.

What does it cost to build a custom home in Cherry Hills Village?

Construction costs for a custom home in Cherry Hills Village typically range from $1,000,000 to $2,500,000 or more depending on the size, design, and finish level. This does not include land. Getting an accurate number requires a specific lot, a defined program, and a detailed proposal from a qualified builder.

Do I need to hire an architect to build in Cherry Hills Village?

Permitted construction in Cherry Hills Village requires architectural plans stamped by a licensed architect. Most custom home projects in the community work with an architect, either independently or through a design-build process with the builder. Bringing the builder in early alongside the architect helps ensure the design is buildable within budget.

Are there restrictions on what I can build in Cherry Hills Village?

Yes. Building in Cherry Hills Village is subject to the city’s zoning code, which governs setbacks, building height, lot coverage, and other factors. Individual properties may also have easements, deed restrictions, or subdivision covenants that affect what can be built. A thorough due diligence review before you purchase a property is important to understand what the lot actually allows.

What school district serves Cherry Hills Village?

Cherry Hills Village is served by Cherry Creek School District, one of the most highly regarded school districts in the Denver metro area. This is one of the primary reasons families prioritize Cherry Hills Village when they are considering where to build.

Can I do a teardown and rebuild in Cherry Hills Village?

Yes, and it is the most common path to a new custom home in the community. The process involves purchasing the existing property, conducting pre-purchase due diligence, handling any required abatement of hazardous materials, obtaining demolition permits, demolishing the existing structure, and then proceeding through the design and permitting process for the new home. A builder experienced in this market can walk you through every step.

About the Author

Ben Anderson is the founder and owner of Anderson Construction, a Denver-based luxury custom home builder and renovation company. Ben has been building and renovating homes in Cherry Hills Village and the surrounding Denver metro communities since 2001. He is personally involved in every project Anderson Construction takes on, from initial site assessment through the final walkthrough.

Anderson Construction is a licensed Colorado contractor and a member of the National Association of Home Builders. If you are thinking about a custom home project in Cherry Hills Village, Ben is glad to have a real conversation about what is involved and what it will take to do it right.