In the mountains of Montana, renowned developer Alpenglow continues to build custom homes and strong relationships
Alpenglow Custom Builders (Alpenglow) was founded by Andy Rowe in 2003 and has since been creating custom home projects in the mountain State of Montana. Located in the Bozeman Gallatin Valley, the company builds a variety of home styles, from modern contemporary, to mountain modern, to more traditional designs. Although it does undertake house renovations and extensions, Andy reveals why the company primarily works on new construction projects: “Bozeman is such a growing community that the majority of our clients are all new construction. When you get into those older towns, there isn’t a lot of additional land, so everybody’s carrying out additions and renovations, yet here it’s mostly all new builds. We partner with local architecture firms to bring together our building experience with their design expertise to provide beautiful homes for our clients. This collaboration produces an efficient process for our clients that allows their vision and priorities to become a reality.”
In a competitive market, Andy believes that establishing solid relationships is key, not only with local architecture firms but also with subcontractors and suppliers. “Some of our subcontractors have worked with us for 22 years,” he continues. “When I see new companies enter the market, they’re still trying to build their team, whereas we already have an established team and we can ensure the quality and the timeliness of our work. We have a great foundation, and everything is a team effort, from interior design to exterior design. We know which architects fit the project and which subcontractors to work with, allowing the project to flow smoothly until completion. This is what really sets us apart from the rest.”
Alpenglow’s strong foundations also ensure efficient client communication. “I work specifically with subcontractors who my clients can communicate effectively with on site,” Andy explains. “The client has a vision and we’re there to essentially transform that idea into a house. Getting it right the first time is a real strength. Prior to starting Alpenglow, I gained a business degree and began working for a rustic remodel, mountain furniture style business in Park City, Utah. Coming from that background has given me an eye for detail, which I now integrate into entire custom home builds.
“In addition, we work with personable suppliers who are able to interact productively with the clients. We’ve put together a brilliant team where we can all collaborate and take hold of whatever our clients are envisioning, whether that’s a particular fireplace or a set of beams, before executing the design to an incredibly high level.”
These visions will often reflect current design trends, which Andy says have been changing slightly over the past few years. “Everybody loves the Scandinavian look – what we call Scandi – that’s been popular for about three to four years, alongside the very modern flat roof aesthetic with clean lines in blacks, whites and grays, although I would say we’re starting to move away from both those trends now. One design that’s tried-and-true in Montana is what we call ‘mountain modern’, which is a combination of natural finishes, such as natural rock and beams, with modern architecture. Some people also like to add in an industrial look, for instance steel I-beams and steel collar ties. We recently completed a house which was photographed and featured in a local publication called Big Sky Journal, alongside an interview with the owner, and, in terms of architecture, that house fits right in with the mountain modern category.
“Another current focus is solar – we’re putting solar panels on most of our homes now, which is incredibly beneficial with our climate. It’s really important to understand our environment here. We’ve got years of experience of watching our homes perform under extreme conditions, everything from -40 some winters up to 100 degrees in the summertime. Therefore, we understand what it takes to build a home in that environment. We know how to insulate it and make it energy efficient. Furthermore, we can educate and advise homeowners as to what works in our climate.” 
From a technological perspective, Alpenglow works with the online software platform Co-Construct, which it continues to update and use for effective collaboration between the office, clients, subcontractors and suppliers. Andy describes the platform as incredibly valuable, as it helps to optimize office efficiency. “When we first started Alpenglow, the client would come into our office with a big envelope or a folder, filled with papers containing all their ideas. Additionally, communication would happen through email which meant we were all getting 70 plus emails a day and they would just stack up in the inbox.
“However, with Co-Construct, the client can login and view pictures of the job and navigate specific areas they want to discuss, for example, paint colors. The platform tracks all our conversations within that category and organizes communication into one place, where everybody has access to files such as estimates, dimensions and photos. It’s a real gamechanger for the industry and allows us to better track all the moving parts of building a custom home.”
When it comes to challenges within the sector, Andy says the biggest pressure in Bozeman presently is inflation, which is impacting not only labor costs but also materials and land. “Bozeman is a very small mountain community. It’s a lifestyle community, similar to Bend, Oregon and Austin, Texas – we only have so much space for growth and land is very expensive. This in turn raises the cost of living, which can place a lot of pressure on a subcontractor’s ability to find and retain employees.”
However, he remains positive for the future of Alpenglow, as the company continues to grow and harness significant connections in a rapidly expanding community. “Bozeman has been growing at a fast pace, meaning several new architecture and design firms have been appearing here from other markets,” Andy concludes. “We want to continue establishing relationships with these firms, as some of the older architects begin to retire. Our vision for the future is to continue to educate ourselves on new products and processes to meet current building demands and customer needs, and to continue working with a trusted team to provide the best homebuilding experience and home a person could ask for.”