Boulder Valley Build Expo to provide guidance, answers on Marshall Fire rebuilding process

Feb. 23—In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, many residents who lost their homes are facing unknown territory when it comes to rebuilding.

"People weren't planning to rebuild when this disaster hit. Most people who lost their homes have never had to deal with this before, and there's a lot of information out there," said Louisville-based realtor Jeff Youngstrom. "A lot of people are having decision fatigue, and need help figuring out what to do next."

Youngstrom is one of the organizers of the Boulder Valley Build Expo, an informational session scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Ascent Community Church in Louisville, geared specifically towards residents hoping to rebuild their homes in Louisville and Superior.

The expo will provide details about the rebuilding process and will serve as an opportunity to connect attendees with local builders and architects. Thirty-two building and planning firms are slated to attend, and they will be there to share information about their capabilities to build, provide specifics on timelines and share any available plans or models.

Youngstrom said that he was pleased — and a little surprised — at how many builders had applied to attend the event.

"A lot of people, myself included, have been under the impression that there isn't much of a capacity to build. But we're finding that yes, it's very possible to find a builder," Youngstrom said.

City and county officials from Louisville, Superior and Boulder County will also be at the expo to field any specific questions.

Attendees will be able to sign up for a 2.5-hour time slot, during which they will be able to meet in two small group sessions with the builders of their choice. There will also be additional time between sessions to speak with other builders, architects, city or county officials to answer any further questions.

The expo is broken up into four sessions — two on Friday and two on Saturday. To view time slots and register for a session, visit cgbg.org/events/bvbuildexpo.

To provide additional guidance, representatives from Colorado Green Building Guild, the Department of Regulatory Agencies, Elevations Credit Union, FirstBank of Colorado and the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver will be at the expo.

"Our goals are to clear up any rumors surrounding the rebuilding process and to help organize residents. That way they can walk away with a more realistic concept and a better understanding of next steps," Youngstrom said.