Remodeled kitchen and living room in an Old Snowmass home near Aspen, with a large island and windows over the snowy valley
Aspen & the Roaring Fork Valley

Luxury Home Remodeling
in Aspen

Refreshingly Transparent

McSwain Builders is an Aspen-based general contractor for complex, high-end remodels. Open-book budgets, every bid and invoice, and daily updates, so you always know where your project and your money stand.

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  • 100+ Homeowners Served
  • 4.9★ Google Rating
  • Open-Book Budgets
  • 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Recent Remodels

Luxury Home Remodeling Projects in the Aspen Area

Three recent whole-home projects: what we did, what got in the way, and how they turned out.

  • Foxley kitchen with a large island, gas cooktop and dark green cabinets
  • Foxley living room with a loft above, a fireplace and the open kitchen beyond
  • Foxley walk-in pantry with custom white millwork shelving and drawers
  • Foxley laundry room with two stacked washer and dryer sets and custom cabinets
  • Foxley bathroom with a green double vanity, brass fixtures and a freestanding tub
  • Rear of the Foxley home in winter with the new addition and a covered patio

Old Snowmass, Colorado

The Foxley Residence

  • ScopeAddition, kitchen and five bathrooms, whole-house finishes
  • ScheduleAbout 9 months
  • InvestmentAbout $1.75 million

We first priced the repairs from their home inspection before they bought the house. A year later this Southern California family, with three kids, two parents working from home and a live-in nanny, hired us for the remodel. We built an addition with a new bathroom, remodeled the kitchen and four more baths, expanded the pantry, and moved the laundry to a larger room with two washer and dryer sets. Plus new white oak floors, doors, hardware, and heating and cooling.

The challenge: Significant structural steel and complex framing, engineered with Hinge Architects and a structural engineer.

“Nothing beats finishing a large remodel project and seeing a family’s smiling, surprised faces as they enter their newly remodeled home for the first time, especially during the Christmas holiday season.”

Frank McSwain
Read the full Foxley story Plan a Remodel Like This
  • Jenkins kitchen in Woody Creek with custom cabinets and a stone wall beside the dining area
  • Jenkins primary bathroom with a freestanding soaking tub in front of a wood wall

Woody Creek, Colorado

The Jenkins Residence

  • ScopeNew primary suite, kitchen, 725 sq. ft. addition, full exterior
  • ScheduleAbout 12 months
  • InvestmentAbout $1 million

Carol hadn’t seen an invoice from her previous builder in almost 90 days and had no idea what the project was costing. We took the remodel over with a realistic budget and schedule, and the owners expanded the scope once they saw our work. We added a new primary bedroom and bathroom, remodeled the kitchen with cabinets and trim milled locally by Xylem in Rifle, and replaced the roof, decking, cedar siding, windows and doors.

The challenge: New designers, engineers and subs to get on the same page, and Pitkin County permitting hurdles.

The result: Carol loves her new kitchen and primary bathroom.

Read the full Jenkins story Plan a Remodel Like This
  • Estrin kitchen and living room with floor-to-ceiling windows over the snowy valley
  • Estrin kitchen with light wood cabinets, a white island and valley views
  • Estrin bedroom with sliding glass doors to the deck and mountain views
  • Estrin bathroom with a freestanding tub in front of a tall window
  • Exterior of the Estrin home in Old Snowmass in winter
  • New Estrin deck with cable railing and a view down the valley

Old Snowmass, Colorado

The Estrin Residence

  • ScopeWhole-house remodel and exterior
  • ScheduleAbout 12 months
  • InvestmentAbout $2 million

A private second home near Snowmass. After replacing an old deck, we remodeled the whole house: four bathrooms, a new kitchen layout, new windows and multi-slide doors, new heating, cooling and air filtration, and integral-color plaster. Outside: a new TPO roof, refinished siding, a new deck, and a stone patio with a hot tub, infrared sauna and cold plunge.

The challenge: Multiple change orders, including significant design changes partway through construction.

The result: The owner’s favorites: the new kitchen layout, the valley views, and the sauna and cold plunge.

Read the full Estrin story Plan a Remodel Like This
What Clients Say

What Homeowners Say About Working With Us

4.9 on Google

  • Courtney ToomeyCondo remodel

    Renovations can be challenging, especially when managing them from another city. McSwain alleviated a lot of the stress and averted crises by handling every aspect of our project for us. The end result is exactly what we envisioned. Everyone who worked on our project was professional and reliable and delivered high-quality craftsmanship.

    Description of Work: Significant remodel on a two bd/2ba condo built in 1974. Full kitchen and bath remodels, fireplace renovation and replacement, electrical and plumbing work, and wood floor installation throughout.

    Our Glenwood Springs Google listing
  • J NicholsonMajor renovation

    We recently undertook a major renovation with McSwain Builders of Glenwood Springs. Frank McSwain and his team stepped in and took over the work when another designer could not execute the project we envisioned. Over the course of the next months the McSwain team did outstanding work to renovate our kitchen, master bath, stairway and fireplace.

    They were able to rapidly communicate any concerns or issues that the on-site team experienced during the renovation and help coordinate selections and decisions by bringing in professionals and experts in the various areas (tile, plumbing, etc.) Through phone calls, text messages, or video conferences they were able to highlight any issues they were experiencing and then provide us options to move forward.

    We particularly would like to call out Jorge, Raul, and his team for their attention to detail and their willingness to rapidly resolve issues and make recommendations to help us all get this done. Their hard work and dedication was greatly appreciated!

    We highly recommend McSwain Builders!

    Our Glenwood Springs Google listing
  • Griff FoxleyAddition & remodel

    McSwain Builders handled a remodel for us in 2022 that just completed recently. It was a complex project, many subcontractors, many pivots, with a significant addition as well as wholesale kitchen remodel and master bath remodel. We had a tight timeline with an inflexible end-date, and the McSwain Builders team managed and performed the project with total professional effectiveness. We feel lucky to have them in our corner in making the home of our dreams, and while we hope we don't have another remodel any time soon, should we decide to do one, we'll lean on McSwain Builders for sure.

    Search our Google reviews
  • Malusa de la ViñaHome remodel

    I couldn't be happier with the outcome of our house with McSwain Builders. The team was very professional, kind, and always responsive. They paid attention to every detail!!! I appreciated the daily updates and communication throughout the project. It was a pleasure working with them.

    Our Glenwood Springs Google listing
  • MICHAEL SCOTTHome addition

    Frank McSwain is an exceptional builder. From the initial design process through project management and final completion, every aspect of our project was handled professionally and went precisely according to plan.

    We are extremely pleased with the addition to our home and couldn’t be happier with the finished result. Frank’s attention to detail, communication, and commitment to quality made the entire experience a great one.

    We highly recommend McSwain Builders for any building or remodeling project.

    Search our Google reviews
  • Chester KenningRemodel

    Frank and his team were outstanding! Good communication through out the process. Professional results in everything that he did. I would call McSwain again for any remodeling needs.

    Our Glenwood Springs Google listing

Read more client reviews · All our reviews on Google: Aspen · Glenwood Springs · 4.9 on Houzz

Our Services

Remodeling and Custom Home Services in Aspen

We remodel existing high-end homes, from a single kitchen or bath to the whole house, and build custom homes from the ground up.

Why Homeowners Choose McSwain

  • Open-book budgets: Your budget lives in Buildertrend, our project management and billing system, under a cost-plus contract. Hard bids replace our estimates as subs are hired, and you approve each one. Each month you review every invoice, receipt and timecard, and we pay our subs and suppliers as soon as you pay us, with lien waivers as needed.
  • Changes with the cost in front of you: You see what a change or a finish selection costs before you approve it, and the budget for that cost code updates right away.
  • A team you meet before you sign: Your project manager, superintendent and office and billing team, with daily and weekly updates from them wherever you are. We’re known for answering the phone and calling back quickly.
  • Realistic numbers from day one: Preliminary budgets built from actual costs on our 50+ most recent jobs, so you learn early how far your money goes in the Roaring Fork Valley.
  • Experience with complex work: Structural steel on the Foxley addition, a Woody Creek remodel we took over from another builder, and significant design changes partway through the Estrin remodel.
Refreshingly Transparent

Why Aspen Homeowners Trust Us With Major Remodels

Plenty of builders use project software. What matters is what you can see in it and who answers for it. With us, you see your budget, every subcontractor bid and every invoice, and you approve the costs before they happen. Each of the three projects above started with a referral or a smaller job, and clients stay with us because they always know where their project and their money stand.

Home office in the remodeled Estrin home with a desk facing windows over the valley Book a Consultation
Local Experience

Local Remodeling Challenges We’ve Solved in the Aspen Area

  • Permits and inspections On the Jenkins remodel in Woody Creek, we worked through Pitkin County permitting challenges. We plan inspections early and coordinate with the appropriate local building departments.
  • Structure you can’t see yet The Foxley addition needed structural steel. Another remodel needed a crane to set new roof beams. On a third, a hidden rodent infestation meant new drywall throughout.
  • Owners who aren’t here Many valley homes are second homes. Daily online updates and a project manager who calls you back keep you in the loop from anywhere.
  • Air quality Wildfires had been running through the valley before the Estrin remodel, so smoke mitigation was a priority. Climate Control installed a medical-grade HEPA air purification system.
New Estrin deck with cable railing and a view down the valley
How It Works

Our Remodeling Process

  1. Meet and listen

    Your priorities, scope, timeline and budget, and whether they line up. Many owners don’t yet know how far their money goes in the Roaring Fork Valley, and this is where we tell them honestly.

  2. Budget, schedule and team

    A realistic preliminary budget from real costs, a schedule, and the people who’ll run your project.

  3. Design and permits

    We bring in the architect, designer and engineers, or work with yours, and start permitting.

  4. Build

    Hard bids, monthly invoices and daily updates you can follow online.

  5. Walk-through and warranty

    A final walk-through and a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Let’s Begin With a Consultation
About Our Team

The People Who Run Your Project

Frank started building homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1996 and founded McSwain Builders in 2019. Together, our team has built or remodeled more than 500 homes over their careers. They’ve worked together for years, and you’ll know who runs your project before you sign.

  • Portrait of Frank McSwain

    Frank McSwain

    Founder & Principal Builder

  • Portrait of Raul Luna

    Raul Luna

    Construction Manager

  • Portrait of Caleb Mikenas

    Caleb Mikenas

    Senior Project Manager

Meet the Whole Team

Guarantee & Certifications

We Stand Behind Every Remodel

  • One-Year Warranty

    Bumper-to-bumper on our work, plus the longer manufacturer warranties on appliances, fixtures and mechanical systems.

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

    On every remodel we build. If something isn’t right, we make it right.

  • Unlimited Building License

    An unlimited residential license that lets us build anywhere in the Roaring Fork Valley.

  • Rooted in the Valley

    Aspen Chamber of Commerce member, with $50,000 given each year to local nonprofits.

Awards & Certifications

Best of Houzz Service 2023 · 2024 · 2025 Colorado Green Business Network Certified, Silver Level Colorado Green Business Network
Honest Answers

Questions Homeowners Ask Before a Remodel

How much does a luxury remodel cost in Aspen?

Every remodel starts from a baseline cost per square foot set by demand in the Roaring Fork Valley; from there, your finishes and design drive the price. We build your preliminary budget from actual costs on our recent jobs. See how remodeling costs work and our article on the Roaring Fork Valley construction market.

How long does a whole-home remodel take?

Our recent whole-home remodels took 9 to 12 months, including additions and exterior work. Scope, permitting and how quickly decisions get made matter most.

Can we live in the house during the remodel?

We don’t recommend it. Living in a home during a major renovation is miserable for everyone, makes the project take longer and creates safety concerns.

We don’t live in Aspen full time. How will we know what’s happening?

Through our online project portal you get daily and weekly updates with photos, and you can see your budget, invoices and approved bids at any time. Your project manager is a call or text away.

Can you take over a project from another builder?

Yes. We took over the Jenkins remodel in Woody Creek from another builder: we met the owners, reviewed the plans, gave them a realistic budget and schedule, and got the work moving. Earning trust in the middle of a project takes real effort, and our whole project management and office team puts it in.

Do we need an architect before we call you?

No. Our team has worked together with architects, designers and engineers for years, and we can match you with one who fits your project. If you already have a design team, we work with them, as we did with Hinge Architects, Wedum and Associates and Santini Studio on the projects above.

How do you handle change orders?

Every remodel has them. A change or a new finish selection goes into your online budget with its cost, you approve it before the work happens, and the budget for that cost code updates right away. The Foxley and Estrin remodels both had multiple change orders, handled this way.

What warranty do you offer?

One year, bumper to bumper, on our work. Where a manufacturer’s warranty is longer, as with many appliances, plumbing fixtures and boilers, you get that coverage too.

Custom home kitchen with a gray island, white cabinets and glass doors to a covered patio

Where we work: Aspen · Snowmass Village · Old Snowmass · Woody Creek · Basalt · Missouri Heights · Carbondale. Our Aspen office at the Aspen Airport Business Center and our Glenwood Springs shop and office are by appointment. We’re happy to meet you at your home.

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