Parterre builder contract:
questions to ask.

A practical list of questions every Parterre buyer should run through before signing the builder's contract — covering the home, the price, the timeline, the warranty, and the few clauses that quietly favor the builder.

Signing a new-construction contract is not the same exercise as signing on a resale home. The paperwork is longer. The terms favor the builder. The contingencies you would expect on a normal Colorado real estate contract are often missing or watered down. And the on-site sales team will hand you the agreement on the assumption that you will sign it largely as written. Most buyers do. The ones who do not, and who push back on the right clauses, routinely save themselves five-figure sums and a great deal of late-night anxiety later in the build.

What follows is a working checklist of the questions to ask before you sign the agreement on a Parterre home — whether you are contracting on a quick move-in or starting a build-to-order from a vacant lot. None of these are gotcha questions. They are the questions any reasonable buyer should expect the builder to answer in writing, and that any reasonable builder will. The point of asking them is to convert verbal assurances at the sales office into contractual terms you can rely on.

Questions about the home itself

Exactly which floor plan, elevation, and lot is on the contract? The Parterre site map and the builder's brochure both make floor plans look interchangeable. They are not. Each plan has specific square footage, ceiling heights, garage configurations, and structural-option availability that vary by lot. Make sure the contract names the plan, the elevation (the exterior treatment), the lot number, and the homesite address.

What structural options are already locked in, and which are still selectable? Structural options — finished basements, expanded primary suites, second-story extensions, optional half-baths — must be selected before framing. After framing they become impossible or wildly expensive. If you are contracting on a home already under construction, ask which structural options were chosen by the prior interest (if any) and which are now fixed.

What is included in the base price, and what is a separately priced upgrade? Builder base prices include a defined finish package. Everything else — premium flooring, upgraded cabinets, designer-level countertops, smart-home wiring, additional canned lighting — sits in the upgrade column. Get the line-item upgrade list before signing, and confirm the upgrade allowance (if any) that the builder is contributing toward those choices.

Which appliances are included, and which are buyer-supplied? Refrigerator, washer, and dryer are frequently buyer-supplied even when the kitchen is otherwise complete. Confirm in writing, including makes and models if the builder is providing them, since spec sheets sometimes describe a tier of appliance rather than a specific unit.

Questions about price, concessions, and the lender

What is the current concession package on this specific home? Builder concessions — rate buydowns, closing cost coverage, finish upgrades, design center credits — change quarterly. They are larger on standing inventory than on dirt-start build-to-orders. They are routinely larger when the buyer is represented by their own agent, which is the entire subject of a separate piece worth reading before your first visit. Get the concession package in writing on the contract addendum, not described verbally at the sales office.

Are the concessions contingent on using the builder's preferred lender? They almost always are. The preferred lender will offer a competitive — sometimes very competitive — package, particularly on rate buydowns. But the concession-tied requirement to use them removes your ability to shop the loan against outside lenders. Some buyers will end up better off going with the preferred lender; some will not. Either way, the trade-off should be quantified before signing, not after.

What is the earnest money requirement, and is it refundable? Earnest money on a Parterre build-to-order is meaningfully larger than on a resale; five figures is typical. Equally important: when is it refundable, when is it not, and what specific contingencies (financing, inspection, builder failure to deliver on time) protect it?

What price changes are permitted between contract and close? Most builder contracts permit price increases for materials cost overruns and code-required changes after contract signing. Some permit it more aggressively than others. Read the relevant clause carefully and ask for an explicit cap.

Questions about the build timeline and contingencies

What is the projected close date, and what slippage is permitted? Build-to-order Parterre homes typically run eight to ten months from contract to close. Quick move-ins typically run thirty to ninety days. The contract will name a target close date, and it will also permit the builder to slip that date by some number of days or months without buyer recourse. Know what that allowance is.

What happens if the build is significantly delayed? "Significantly delayed" is usually defined in the contract. Six months past target is a common threshold for buyer-side recourse — but recourse usually means earnest money refund, not damages. If the home is critical for school enrollment, an out-of-state move, or a coordinated sale, build in additional protective language now.

Is there an inspection period? Yes, but it is usually narrower than on a resale. The builder's pre-close walkthrough is the buyer's primary opportunity to flag punch-list items. An independent third-party inspector can attend the walkthrough; in our experience this is money well spent on a home in the high five or six figures. The cross-link worth reading here is the comparison between quick move-ins and build-to-orders, where the inspection rights differ in instructive ways.

What is the change-order process during construction? Once framing starts, every change to the plans goes through a formal change-order process. Each change carries an administrative fee, a price delta, and often a schedule impact. Some change orders the builder will refuse outright. Ask for a copy of the change-order policy before you sign.

Questions about the warranty and the HOA

What does the builder warranty actually cover, and for how long? Most builders use the standard 1-2-10 warranty framework — one year on workmanship, two years on systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), ten years on major structural defects. Confirm the specific warranty terms for this builder at Parterre and read the exclusion list, which is the part most buyers skip.

What is the warranty process if something fails after close? Some builders handle warranty calls in-house through a dedicated coordinator; others outsource. The difference matters less in year one and more in years three through seven, when the original sales team has moved on but the structural warranty is still active.

What are the HOA dues, and what do they include? Parterre is HOA-governed. Confirm the current monthly or annual amount, what is included (landscape maintenance, future amenities, trash, snow), how often dues can be raised, and whether any special assessments are pending. Ask to see the most recent HOA budget if one is available.

Questions to ask yourself

Beyond the questions the builder needs to answer, three are worth running through internally before you sign.

Are you genuinely ready to commit for the build timeline? Eight to ten months is a long time to hold a current-housing arrangement, manage rate-lock decisions, and absorb the inevitable schedule slippages. Make sure the timeline aligns with your school year, lease expiration, or current-home sale plans.

Is this the right floor plan, on the right lot, for the right reasons? The sales office runs on emotion. Buyers regularly sign on the floor plan that the model home showcased rather than the floor plan that actually fits their household. Walk the model, then walk the other plans, then walk the lot — and revisit two days later before signing.

Have you read the contract twice, ideally with your buyer's agent and an attorney? Builder contracts are not standard Colorado real estate contracts. Reading them once is rarely enough. Most of the buyers who later wish they had asked a question say they noticed the relevant clause but did not slow down on it.

Why this matters

None of these questions are antagonistic. They are the questions a serious buyer asks because a Parterre home is a six- or seven-figure transaction with a multi-year warranty tail. The builder's on-site team has run this process hundreds of times; for almost every buyer, it is the first or second time. The asymmetry is real, and the only durable fix for it is preparation.

If you would like, we will sit down with you and run through the current builder contract clause by clause — including the parts we have learned to push back on. Our concession-related guidance is informed by recent transactions and by Q1 2026 market activity, which shaped what the builder is currently willing to do on standing inventory.