Custom Home Builder in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida

What does a custom home builder in Fort Lauderdale actually do?

A custom home builder in Fort Lauderdale takes a site, establishes what it will actually allow, and builds a house designed around that reality rather than around a plan that has to be redrawn once the flood elevation and zoning numbers arrive. Kass Construction & Development does this ground-up across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.

The work runs from feasibility through handover under one licensed general contractor: Mitchell Kass, Florida Certified General Contractor since 2006 (active license CGC1529472), Florida Licensed Real Estate Professional (License SL334544) and a member of the Florida Bar. Bespoke waterfront estates and architect-driven residences are the normal project here, with full compliance with coastal regulations built into the sequence rather than bolted on.

Planning a custom home in Fort Lauderdale or South Florida? Kass Construction & Development, Florida Certified General Contractor CGC1529472, has delivered 100+ luxury residences across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade. Call 954-607-4335 or request a consultation.

Why do owners choose a builder before an architect?

Owners who bring the builder in first do it because the site sets the rules. In South Florida the flood elevation, the zoning envelope and, on waterfront parcels, the seawall condition fix the floor height and the footprint before any design decision is made. A plan drawn without those numbers gets redrawn, and redrawing costs more than a feasibility review.

Flood elevation decides the finished floor before the first sketch
The zoning envelope decides how much house the lot allows
Seawall condition on the water can be the largest line in the budget
Constructability and cost feedback during design keep changes cheap

How does a custom home build work, step by step?

A custom home build runs in four stages, and the first one, feasibility, is the one most owners skip and most regret skipping. Each stage below is run under a single documentation standard so nothing is lost between the architect, the engineer and the site.

1. Site feasibility before anything is drawn

Before a line is drawn we establish what the lot will allow: flood zone and base flood elevation, the zoning envelope, setbacks, and on waterfront parcels the condition of the seawall. The result is a written brief that the architect designs to.

Flood zone, elevation and survey review
Zoning envelope and setbacks
Seawall and dock condition where relevant
A realistic budget range before design money is spent

2. Design with construction input

We work alongside your architect from concept, bringing constructability, cost and permitting feedback into the drawings while changes are still inexpensive. Structural, MEP and coastal engineering are coordinated into one plan set.

Complete plan sets with every discipline aligned
Value engineering without diluting the design
Impact-rated glazing, wind-load and elevation built in, not added later

3. Permitting and coastal review

Every municipality in the tri-county area interprets the Florida Building Code through its own review, and the same drawing set moves at very different speeds two towns apart. Submissions, comment resolution and resubmittals are managed as part of the critical path.

4. Construction through certificate of occupancy

Master scheduling, trade partner selection, sequential inspections from foundation through final, and a closeout that leaves you with warranties, as-builts and lien releases in hand. You receive written progress reports on a set rhythm, not when there is bad news.

What does a waterfront build add?

A waterfront build adds three systems that must succeed together: the shoreline holding the site, the elevated structure on it, and the marine work in front of it. Seawall and dock permitting, corrosion-resistant materials and coastal construction review are part of the scope from day one on these lots.

Seawall repair or replacement decided before the house is designed
Elevated foundations that meet base flood elevation with margin
Marine-grade hardware and finishes for salt air
Coastal construction and environmental review handled in sequence

How is cost, schedule and quality controlled?

Cost, schedule and quality are controlled by having one accountable party. A single licensed general contractor carries the contract, the permitting and the site, so there is no gap between disciplines for a problem to fall into.

Cost: fixed scope with allowances tested against real South Florida pricing
Schedule: one master schedule with the cumulative position reported in plain numbers
Quality: inspections against the plans by a builder who has completed 100+ homes

When should you contact a builder?

Before you buy the lot, if you can. A feasibility review at that point is often the highest-value work on the whole project. If you already own the site or have drawings, the next best moment is before the plans go to permit, while constructability and cost feedback can still change them cheaply.

Why build with Kass Construction?

Three licenses usually held by three different people, held by one accountable party:

Florida Certified General Contractor since 2006 (active license CGC1529472)
Florida Licensed Real Estate Professional | License SL334544
Florida Bar #784583, J.D. University of Miami
100+ homes attributed to Mitchell Kass and the firms he has led across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade

Every number above is a public record.

Check them yourself: the contractor license on the Florida DBPR license register, the Bar number on the Florida Bar member directory. The flood zone for any parcel is public too, on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to build a custom home in South Florida?

Most ground-up luxury builds run 18 to 36 months from design through closeout, depending on the size and scope of the project and permit approvals. Waterfront lots, flood-zone elevation and municipal review speed are the variables that move the number most.

Do you build on lots I have not bought yet?

Yes. A feasibility review before purchase, covering flood elevation, the zoning envelope and seawall condition on waterfront parcels, is often the most valuable work we do, because it sets the floor height and footprint before any design money is spent.

Who runs my project day to day?

A dedicated project manager with Mitchell Kass, a Florida Certified General Contractor since 2006 (active license CGC1529472), accountable for the build. One licensed party carries construction, permitting and the contract.

What does a custom home cost per square foot in South Florida?

Scope and finish level drive cost far more than the label, and the number differs between a dry lot and a waterfront parcel with seawall and elevation work. It is answered against your site and program, not a range on a web page.

Related Guides: Custom Home Building

Go deeper on the questions owners ask most:

Start with the site

One conversation about your lot, or the lot you are considering, is usually enough to tell you what it will allow and what it will cost to find out properly.

If you are planning a ground-up custom home or a waterfront estate in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade, start with the site.

Kass Construction & Development

East Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Serving Broward • Palm Beach • Miami-Dade

Licensed Builder. Licensed Real Estate Professional. Florida Bar. One Accountable Party.

Custom Home Building: Common Questions

Can you build the design I already have?
Usually, once it has been checked against the site’s flood elevation and zoning envelope. If it has not, that check comes first.

Do you take on design as well as construction?
We work with your architect, or introduce one. Design stays with the architect; constructability, cost and permitting input come from us during design.

Do you work outside the three counties?
Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade are the service area.