SBA approves disaster loans for Aspen Acres fire in Pueblo and Custer counties
KRDO reports the U.S. Small Business Administration approved Colorado's Oct. 9 request for disaster assistance loans after the Aspen Acres fire and the burn-scar flooding that followed in Pueblo and Custer counties. Homeowners can apply for up to $500,000 to repair or replace a damaged home, and businesses can request up to $2 million. Disaster Loan Assistance Centers open Oct. 19 in Pueblo and in Wetmore.
Denver construction costs up about 4.6% from a year ago
Bisnow reports that Denver construction costs rose nearly 4.6% year over year and about 1.3% in the third quarter, per Rider Levett Bucknall's Q3 report, versus about 4.5% nationally. Mortenson's Q3 index put Denver nonresidential cost growth at 6.8% over 12 months, with site concrete and reinforcing steel showing the strongest gains.
Colorado regulators question Xcel over longer power outages
The Denver Post reports the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is pressing Xcel Energy after its staff found the average customer was without power 350 minutes in 2024, compared with an average of 166 minutes from 2015 to 2023. PUC staff found the 15 worst-performing feeders, 2% of the system, accounted for 33% of outage minutes in 2025; seven of them are in Boulder.
2024 average outage: 350 minutes vs. 166 (2015-2023)
BBB issues alert on RoofCo & Solar after Colorado homeowners' complaints
Denver7 Investigates reports that homeowners in Northglenn and Westminster handed over insurance checks to RoofCo & Solar LLC for roofs that months later had not been replaced. The Better Business Bureau issued an alert and gave the company an "F" rating, citing a "pattern of complaints" about unfinished work, delays, refunds and communication.
Judge lets part of the Energize Denver lawsuit go forward
BusinessDen reports that U.S. District Judge Regina Rodriguez ruled that apartment industry groups missed the two-year window to challenge Denver's consumer-appliance rules, but did not dismiss the whole case. The challenge to Energize Denver's building-wide standards and similar Colorado state regulations continues in narrowed form.
Order issued: Sept 30, 2026; case narrowed, not dismissed
Colorado permits over $1 million now require a workers' comp declaration
Under SB26-093, contractors requesting a building permit for a construction project over $1 million from a Colorado state or county permitting agency must declare whether they carry workers' compensation insurance or have rejected coverage. CDLE's Division of Workers' Compensation says the declaration is made on a new DOWC compliance form.
SB26-093 effective May 29, 2026; new DOWC compliance form
Colorado heat and cold protections for workers took effect Aug 11
CDLE says HB26-1272 defines symptoms of heat- and cold-related illness and requires Colorado employers to record temperature conditions and provide water, breaks, shade and training. CDLE's labor standards division must publish temperature-related injury data by Jan 15, 2027.
Colorado employers can ask to lower their experience mod after a claim closes
CDLE says SB26-175 lets Colorado employers ask their workers' comp carrier to update the experience modification factor to reflect actual, lower claim costs after a claim closes, if the change lowers the factor by at least .05 or brings it from above 1.0 to 1.0 or below. The carrier has 30 days to make the adjustment.
Federal permitting reform bill S. 5653 awaits a U.S. Senate vote
Associated Builders and Contractors sent a letter supporting S. 5653, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, and urged the U.S. Senate to pass it. ABC says the bill would change National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act reviews with clearer timelines.
ABC letter of support: Oct 14, 2026; Senate vote pending
Blueprints AI says it drafts permit-ready plans in minutes
TechCrunch reports that Santa Monica startup Blueprints AI uses AI to produce code-compliant, permit-ready construction blueprints from a 2D sketch or PDF. The company, a Startup Battlefield 200 pick, said it would unveil a second-generation version at TechCrunch Disrupt, Oct. 13-15 in San Francisco.
Pirros launched a Quality Management System that reviews an entire Revit project against a firm's standards, building codes such as the IBC, project specifications and model health. Each flag names the sheet, location and severity, and nothing changes until a reviewer confirms it.
DeWalt opens Tool Connect to Geotab, Trackunit and BoxLock
DeWalt launched the Tool Connect Partner Network, which uses partner platforms to locate DeWalt tools and equipment across vehicle fleets, heavy equipment and secured storage. Existing Tool Connect users need no new hardware, per the release.
ABC's sixth annual report covers jobsite health and safety tech
Associated Builders and Contractors released its sixth annual construction technology report, focused on health and safety. It includes contractor case studies on keeping workers hydrated in the heat, finding patterns in incident data and setting safety standards for hand tools, plus wearables and AI-powered risk detection.
Contractor backlog rises to 8.7 months, but margin outlook slips
ABC's Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.7 months in September, up 0.2 months from August and from a year earlier, in a survey taken Sept. 21 to Oct. 5. ABC said data center work drove the increase.
Texas roofer ordered to pay $500,000 restitution and $1.5 million in penalties
NRCA reports that Dallas-based Rubinsky Roofing LLC was found liable for 27 violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act in a lawsuit brought by the Texas attorney general. The suit alleged aggressive sales tactics and unfinished roofing projects after the company collected payments.
$500,000 restitution + $1.5 million civil penalties
TZP Group said its portfolio company Results Roofing, a Dallas-based residential re-roofing platform, acquired Journey Builders, a Los Angeles re-roofing company serving California and Texas. Journey Builders completes nearly 2,000 projects a year; terms were not disclosed.
