Parowan
Living in Parowan, Utah, can feel like a dream come true with a custom home from Choice Builders.
Living in Parowan, Utah
Those looking to put down roots in Utah should consider Parowan a small town where history, tradition, and natural beauty abound. Wondering if it’s the place for your new home? Read on to learn more about the city, its history, and how you can be a part of its future.
How Did Parowan, Utah Get Its Name?
With its proximity to Little Salt Lake, Parowan was originally called “The City of the Little Salt Lake.” Parowan got its current name from the Native American’s name for the lake, which meant “dirty water.”
Parowan goes by another name, too. Perhaps a more loving name. The city is also affectionately called the “Mother Town of Southern Utah” because it’s the first settlement of southern Utah.
What Is Parowan, Utah Known For?
As the first settlement of Southern Utah, Parowan is steeped in history and many original buildings and historic sites still stand today, telling an amazing story.
When Mormon Apostle Parley P. Pratt first camped at Parowan in 1849, he erected a flag that still stands in the town today. Years later a church was erected to serve as a place to worship, gather and educate. To this day, Parowan’s Old Rock Church stands in the center of town, now serving as a museum. Along with these features, Parowan also hosts original adobe structures and a city cemetery serving as the final resting place to Utah’s first Olympic gold medalist, the city’s first pioneers, and other famous and celebrated residents. It’s even rumored that Butch Cassidy could be buried there, next to his brother.
The Old Rock Church museum in Parowan, Utah
Native American Petroglyphs at Parowan Gap in Parowan, Utah
Parowan has several pieces of history that celebrate the origin of the town, but it also holds artifacts that date even farther back than these structures. Much farther back. At Parowan Gap, Native American petroglyphs, or carvings, can be seen carved into Navajo sandstone petroglyphs. The Parowan Gap is also home to a few dinosaur tracks from the Cretaceous Age, about 75 – 80 million years ago.
Things To Do In Parowan, Utah
Experiencing the area’s heritage is just one reason people love living in Parowan. Here are some other ways to enjoy life in and around this historic place.
Taste The “Best Cinnamon Rolls In The West”
When the city of Parowan was dared to be the place with “The Best Cinnamon Roll in the West,” local businesses accepted the challenge and created their own take on the breakfast fave. In the city of Parowan, you can try a traditional cinnamon roll from four different places. Or, you can be more adventurous and try a cinnamon roll chimichanga or churro or a cinnamon roll milkshake.
The best cinnamon rolls in the west can be found in Parowan, Utah
Explore Parowan Canyon
Situated between Parowan and Panguitch is Parowan Canyon, a red rock canyon that offers opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, and camping. You’ll find breathtaking views of vibrant colored rock spires and the Yankee Meadows Reservoir. Visit in the fall to see the canyon’s aspens turn a stunning red.
Attend a Seasonal Event
There’s an event for every season in Parowan. In the spring, the city is in full bloom with a swap meet, car show, and a historical tour of the cemetery on Memorial Day. Residents kick off the beginning of summer with the Summer solstice event, which includes speakers, a dinner, and a sunset observation. Other summer events include concerts in the park, an Independence Day parade, and the Iron County Fair. When it starts getting cool, decorated scarecrows line Main Street to celebrate autumn. And in the winter, the community hosts a Sub 4 Santa event that provides holiday assistance for residents in need. Winter is also the time the city celebrates its birthday, with a town meeting, luncheon, and Birthday Ball.
Red rocks of Parowan Canyon, situated between Parowan and Panguitch, Utah
View Natural and Man-Made Wonders at the Parowan Gap
As mentioned above, the Parowan Gap features wonders made by man and nature over time. The gap itself was formed by an ancient stream that carved through the sandstone, making a narrow path that was further widened throughout the years by erosion from the wind and rain. The gap is a wonder in itself, but there’s even more to marvel at this spot. The Parowan Gap Petroglyphs are rock carvings made by ancient Native Americans and feature geometric designs, human and animal figures and a mysterious zipper drawing thought to be an inverted man, travel map, or calendar. Travel down the Parowan Gap Dinosaur Track Site to find natural casts of actual dinosaur footprints.
Parowan Gap Hill
Visit Brian Head Resort
You can get to Brian Head Resort in less than 20 minutes. There, you’ll find a seemingly endless list of things to do, no matter the season.
In the winter, you can go tubing with friends, ski down more than 70 runs, or take in the rare sights of red rock formations dusted with snow. In the summer, you’ll find some of the best mountain biking in the state. You can also choose from other activities, like archery, zip-lining, and disc golf, or relax at the nearby spa.
Attend a Cedar City Festival
Parowan is just 17 miles from Cedar City, Utah, a small mountain town with big events throughout the year and a lively art and dining scene. Cedar City’s also known as Festival City, USA because of all the festivals the city hosts throughout the year. From festivals focusing on film, music, folklife, or residential architecture to the Tony-award-winning Shakespeare festival, Cedar City has a way to celebrate almost any interest. While you’re visiting, you can feast on a diverse culinary mix of international and hometown tastes while feasting your eyes on the many works of art on display at the city’s galleries, museums, and theaters.
The snow-covered red rock forest canyon of Brian Head, Utah
Custom Homes In Parowan
When you’re building your custom home, it’s important to work with an experienced builder who understands the area and provides clear and constant communication throughout your build. Choice Builders has over 30 years of experience as a design-build firm that has helped people put down roots in various cities across Iron County.
You’ll see that through the entire process of building your home with us. Our 5-step design-build process includes:
- A complimentary consultation
- A detailed design of the home
- Permit pulling and guidance through important decision-making
- The construction of your home
- The final walk-through of the home
We work with top-quality vendors and provide a unique online portal for you to stay updated on your build. The portal includes easy access to documents, progress photos, and project schedules. You’ll be able to make selections and changes, review job logs and send messages all through the portal as you go through our design-build process.
Voted Iron County’s Home Builder of the Year by the Iron County Home Builders Association, Choice Builders can create your vision of a perfect home so you have everything you want, the way you want it. To see the quality of work in the homes we build, browse through the portfolio of custom homes.
Parowan, Utah has a rich history with several relics from the past still standing today. While a walk through the city may feel like a walk back in time, Parowan is a city that’s looking to the future. Build a custom home here and be part of it. Contact Choice Builders to get started building your new home today.
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Don’t Trust Your Dreams to Just Anyone
You should feel confident and excited during your home-building process. After all, the builder you choose could mean the difference between a project that's done right, on time and on budget, and one that costs too much, takes too long and is fraught with quality problems.
But with every builder claiming to be qualified, how can you be sure you’re picking the right one?
Download What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Home Builder, written by Choice Builders’ owner, Roger Thomas. This guide will help you choose a builder who is right for you.
In it, you'll find answers to questions like:
- How do I make sure a contractor can build to my budget?
- Why do some contractors appear to cost more than others do?
- Should I ask for a “free” estimate?
- How do I choose a good contractor, let alone the best one?
- How should I compare prospective contractors?
Get the Guide

What Our Clients Say

"Choice Builders and Roger Thomas are the model of a home builder that we all strive to be. Very professional and ethical way to do business. A pleasure to work for and with. I highly recommend!"

"Roger is simply the best. We interviewed three other contractors before hiring Roger. We also talked to neighbors in the sub-division where we were going to build and discouraged us from the other three.
We met with Roger at his office. He is so flexible with his time. After meeting him we both knew we wanted him to build our retirement home here in Cedar City. We were living in Michigan at the time and communicating would be important to keep my “Dream” on track.
I call Roger my -“Dream Catcher”. He caught my dream and built it.
I would recommend Roger to anyone that I know. His customer service is above and beyond anyone I have ever known. I do not plan on building another home, but if I did it would be Roger and Choice Builders. He only works with the best sub-contractors in the area. Continued Success."

"Roger Thomas and I worked together for a number of years on the State of Nevada U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and I always found Roger to be diligent, intelligent, and passionate about not only about the role of sustainability in the built environment, but also committed to doing the right thing the right way.
Roger and I also collaborated on the sustainability aspects of the Cashman Equipment Company Corporate Headquarters located in Henderson Nevada, a 300,000 square foot industrial campus that achieved a LEED Gold certification in 2009. Roger led the construction phase LEED efforts and did a great job managing numerous subcontractors who were unfamiliar with the sustainability documentation needed for this type of project.
Roger understood the owner’s commitment to the environment and was able to exceed their expectations for construction documentation."

"Roger Thomas and Choice Builders recently completed two different Independence homes on our campus at Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy. This was such a wonderful experience for our school and for our team. From the very beginning Roger walked us through the process so we knew what to expect along the way. He helped us develop creative floor plans to met our very specific needs. He also designed some unique features such as light tubes in the basement to bring more natural light to a dark area.
During the building process Roger was always professional. He respected our requests for last minute changes and because we changed our minds often, this was so appreciated. Roger kept the project on task and on time. Choice Builders maintained a clean building project which was important because we were continuing to operate as a school program during the building process.
We absolutely love the houses that Roger and Choice Builders constructed for us! We would highly recommend Choice Builders to anyone deciding to build a home."

"I really enjoy working with Roger. He is always very professional in his business dealings and has a great deal of knowledge in the building industry."

"We had Choice Builders do some consulting work for me on a building project and they did a fantastic job. Choice Builders are a great hire for commercial and/or residential build. The attention to detail and customer service is unparalleled. The quality is top rate and Roger always makes sure to go the extra mile to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. I highly recommend."

"Choice Builders is a “10” for sure. I spent months looking for a home on the market, while my husband commuted back and forth to work everyday. I was starting to think it was never going to end. All the houses just seemed not to have the right fit for our well established family. Not enough space, not enough storage, to big/spread out, to small, to old, to this or to that. That’s when my realtor introduced us to Roger with Choice Builder.
Our first impressions… He’s just awesome. You can tell with his amazing “CAN DO” attitude, and the way he carries himself he’s up for any challenge. Even my indecisiveness didn’t scare him away. He knew how to make me feel comfortable with the hard decisions we had to make and was very professional to work with. He laid out pros and cons and let us make decisions.
You can tell that he knows his stuff and knows what he’s doing. He took my vision, likes, dislikes, my wants, (and my husbands too!) PLUS, OUR NEEDS. My Coastal Rustic and Hubbies manly, contemporary and made it mesh. He turned our house into the home we’ve always dreamt of right down to the kids bathroom so perfectly functional for a family with 5 kids! Everyone that sees it loves it! I appreciate the fact that he worked hard to get our home up and ready so that my husband no longer has a crazy commute, my children have their own space that they love, (They even refer to Roger as the Master Builder.)
I have a place that is me and peace of mind knowing that Choice Builders built me a sustainable home."

"I have had the opportunity to work with a handful of contractors and builders, having been in the industry all my life. There is always notable increases in quality when the “man” is on the job. When it comes to building a home Roger Thomas will not only help you with the paperwork, but he will be on the job with you along the way. Outstanding quality and attention to detail. My in-laws will be building soon and I wouldn’t think of sending them anywhere else!"

"Roger’s interaction and work with the city [of Williston, ND] went beyond a professional relationship. In a time of extreme pressure on city officials it was satisfying to work with someone that was there not just for a job, but to be part of solutions. He took a true interest in finding the best solutions for the city and worked to be a positive factor in building the community both professionally and personally."

"We hired Roger / Choice Builders after having to fire our original contractor. We had several issues and obstacles to overcome and Roger had the experience and knowledge to give us the proper fixes to the problems we faced. Roger surrounds himself with quality craftsmen. We are very satisfied with the results.
Roger is highly professional and transparent. All costs were known up front, and he provided me with copies of every receipt. Every penny is accounted for.
If you want to build your dream home, I have confidence in recommending Roger Thomas and Choice Builders."

"I recently had the pleasure of working with Choice Builders for my custom (forever) home build, and I can confidently say that they deserve every one of these five stars and more! From start to finish , the experience was nothing short of outstanding."
"The owner, Roger Thomas, and his team demonstrated a level of professionalism and expertise that is truly commendable. Their attention to detail and commitment to delivering top-notch craftsmanship was evident in every aspect of the project. From the initial consultation to the final walk-through, they consistently exceeded my expectations.
"The communication throughout the project was exceptional. The project manager kept me well-informed about the progress and any necessary adjustments to the plan.
"When I was confronted with a personal emergency Roger and his amazing crew moved heaven and earth to expedite my move in date, which I will always be grateful for.
"The quality of the work is superb. The finished project not only met but exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t be happier!"

"After purchasing a home from Choice Builders, I can say only positive things about this home. Rogers architectural skills coupled with a keen artistic flair produces a home which is spacious, comfortable and has plenty of storage. His choice of colors and building materials is impeccable.
After moving into this home, I had numerous questions about some of the items that were included in the home and how to operate them. Roger was able to answer most of my questions over the phone and followed up with a visit to make certain that everything was going well.
It was a pleasure to be able to work with Roger and I would highly recommend him as a builder for anyone looking for quality workmanship."

"From the first day we met with Roger, he was sensitive to the style and easy one-level living home we wanted him to build. With my husband (a Disabled Veteran) and I being seniors, having a safe, efficient, and comfortable home was a priority. The building process went smoothly during the fall and winter. Roger used an online portal to keep us informed with daily notes and pictures of what was happening on site. It was wonderful! We never felt ignored but always "included" in each building process step.
The building crew that worked under Roger were all professionals. They provided us with direction and expertise in selection choices. They were always there to answer any questions or concerns. In the process, I've made new friends and enjoyed working with such nice people. Our home was turned over to us with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a complete walk thru with explanations of the function of our new home. Our house looks amazing. It's beautiful. I love it!
I'm honored to recommend Roger Thomas of Choice Builders as an excellent builder with a personal touch. It was a positive experience all around."

"I moved to Cedar City, excited to build my dream home. I knew exactly what I wanted in my head: an accessible, spacious, single level home with high ceilings, windows to catch the gorgeous sunset views, wide hallways, and plenty of storage. Oh, and of course, a custom garage to house my full-size RV.
Roger Thomas of Choice Builders not only caught my vision, but he improved on it. He delivered a home beyond what I expected. Roger built my home to be energy efficient with the best materials and skilled laborers available. He was also mindful of my budget and time constraints. I was amazed that he stayed on schedule and within costs.
I now watch people literally stop in front of my home to look at it, to take photos of the gorgeous rock work, colors and design, and some even ask for tours.
So many people complain about the communication and frustrations with their builders. I never experienced this. Roger’s online portal allowed me to see the work progressing on my house daily with photos and updates. I was able to make changes through a simple app on my phone that instantly communicated my questions or requests to Roger. I was able to watch the costs and make informed decisions on revisions as we went along. The build was so much faster than I had anticipated. Knowing Roger was there every single day checking on the progress and quality of work, ensured that the home wasn’t sitting idle and was exactly what we had designed and planned.
This is my forever home to retire and live comfortably. I’m thankful to Choice Builders and would recommend them to anyone who wants a top quality custom build."
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