Building wildfire-resilient homes costs less than residents expect
Housing development in Colorado is spreading into fire-prone landscapes, increasing wildfire risk and adding to the challenges of affordable housing and rising insurance costs.
A new report from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that building homes to withstand wildfires may cost less than many people anticipate. The study examined the impact of Colorado's new wildfire-resistant building code across eight counties and found that compliance could increase home construction costs by only 0.6% to 10.8%.
This increase was even smaller when exterior decks, which had the largest impact on costs, were excluded. The research highlights that most of a home's construction costs are unrelated to wildfire protection, with foundations, framing, floors, and insulation accounting for 85% to 90% of total expenses. The wildfire-resistant features, such as improved roofing, siding, vents, windows, and decks, only contribute a small portion of the overall construction budget.
Despite the increased costs, the study suggests that these measures could help reduce future wildfire losses and provide a more affordable path to constructing resilient homes.
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