Pricing and terms · Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach
Real cost plus a fixed fee, with a maximum price in your Miami contract
Prices per square foot, what the price leaves out and when each of the four payments is due.
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What a general contractor costs in Miami, and how Florida Home Build gets paid
What a general contractor costs in Miami depends on how the contract is priced. Florida Home Build charges the real cost of the work plus a fixed fee, under a maximum price written into your contract. A new home on a mainland lot runs $450–650 per square foot, and projects start at $250,000.
Three common ways to price a build:
- 01
A lump sum. One number agreed up front. It is easy to compare, but it doesn't show how the price is built.
- 02
Cost plus a percentage. You pay the costs and a share of them, so the contractor earns more when costs go up.
- 03
Cost plus a fixed fee with a maximum price. You pay the actual costs and a set fee, and the total for the agreed scope can't pass the cap. The American Institute of Architects publishes a standard form for this structure, A102, and our contract works on the same principle.
The cost of the work is made up of subcontractor bids and invoices, and each bid, change and invoice appears in a shared budget tracker. The fee and the maximum price are both written into your contract before work starts, so the fee doesn't grow as costs grow.
Your money
How a Miami home build works when you're not paying ahead
4 payments, not a big deposit
At signing, at the start of work, at the midpoint and at about 99% completion. Each payment is for a stage you have approved.
A price cap in the contract
Cost plus a fixed fee, with a maximum price. Savings stay with you. Anything above the cap is paid by the builder.
Every bid and invoice in view
A shared budget tracker shows each subcontractor bid, each change and each invoice.
One contractor, one contract
The same permanent subcontractors on every job, and one company answering for all of them.
3-year warranty, exclusions in writing
The warranty term is a number in your contract, and so is the list of what it does not cover.
An answer in under 24 hours
By phone, WhatsApp, text or email, in English, Spanish or Russian.
Prices
Price per square foot by project type, and what the price leaves out
The ranges below are per square foot of construction. A site visit, your plans and a line-by-line estimate turn a range into your number.
| Project | Price per sq ft | What the range covers |
|---|---|---|
| New home on a mainland lot | $450–650 | Construction of the house itself |
| New home on the water or an island | $900–1,300 | The same scope on a waterfront or island site |
| Oceanfront new home | $1,300–1,800+ | The same scope on an oceanfront site |
| Whole-home renovation | $50–250most often $75–150 | A turnkey renovation of a house |
| Condo renovation | $150–350 | A turnkey renovation of a condo unit |
| Commercial build-out | Priced by project | Offices, retail and restaurants |
Additions, seawalls and docks
Additions, second stories, seawalls and docks are priced after we see the site, as part of a turnkey project. The final estimate lists every line of the work one by one, so you can compare it with the range above.
Get my free estimateThe construction price leaves out:
- The lot
- Architect and designer fees, because design is its own phase and takes 6–9 months on a new home
- Permits, surveys and impact fees (we file the permits, and their fees are separate)
- Furniture
- Landscaping
Timeline
How long it takes to build a custom home in Miami
Strategy, lot and budget2–3 months
A site visit before any contract, a line-by-line estimate and a meeting with your project manager.
Design6–9 months
Plans and selections, tied to the budget and the price cap.
Permits3–6 months
City and county permits, inspections and association submissions are on us.
Construction16–22 months
Your superintendent confirms the next steps every week, with photos and inspections in your client portal.
Usually 28–36 months from the first meeting to move-in. These are estimates, not promises: rain, inspections and permit queues move dates, and you see every change in the portal the week it happens. On average the build takes 2–4 hours of your time per week.
Get a timeline for my lotPayments
Four payments across the build, and when each is due
You pay in four payments. The first is due at signing. The other three follow the build, and each is tied to a stage that counts as finished once the work is done and you have approved it, on site or in your client portal.
The share of each payment is set in your contract for your project, after the site visit and the line-by-line estimate.
Florida law (section 489.126 of the Florida Statutes) has a rule for the first payment. If it is more than 10% of the price of a residential contract, the contractor has to apply for the permit within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless an exception applies.
After the keys
A 3-year home builder warranty and a full handover
- 01
3-year warranty on the work
The term and the list of exclusions are written in your contract, not explained later.
- 02
Handover package
As-built drawings, manuals, a maintenance schedule and manufacturer warranties registered in your name.
- 03
A walkthrough of every system
We walk the house with you and show how each system works before you move in.
- 04
Care after move-in
Home maintenance by arrangement, with the same team that built it.
FAQ
Questions about general contractor costs and payments in Miami
How much does a general contractor charge in Miami?
Florida Home Build bills actual costs plus a fixed fee written into your contract. Construction runs $450–650 per sq ft for a new home on a mainland lot. Our guide to what Florida general contractors charge explains the usual models.
What does a general contractor's price per square foot include?
It covers the construction itself: the subcontractors' work, the materials and our fixed fee, inside the maximum price. The lot, design fees, permits, surveys, impact fees, furniture and landscaping are separate.
What happens if construction costs go above the maximum price?
For the agreed scope of work, the total can't pass the maximum price in your contract, and the builder pays anything above it. If costs come in lower, the savings stay with you.
What is the payment schedule with a Miami general contractor?
Four payments: at signing, at the start of work, at the midpoint and at about 99% completion. The last three are tied to stages you approve.
How much down payment can a contractor ask in Florida?
Florida law sets a rule for first payments above 10% of a residential contract price: the contractor has to apply for the permit within 30 days and start work within 90 days after permits are issued, unless an exception applies. The share of each of our four payments is set in your contract.
Is a maximum price the same as a fixed-price contract with a general contractor?
No. A fixed-price contract is one agreed number. Ours bills actual costs and a fixed fee, with a maximum price for the agreed scope.
What is the minimum project size for a Miami general contractor?
Projects start at $250,000. Answer 5 questions about your project, and we will get in touch within 24 hours, in English, Spanish or Russian.
Can I see every cost on my construction budget?
Yes. A shared budget tracker shows each subcontractor bid, each change and each invoice on your project, so the numbers behind the maximum price are in front of you.