Luxury Home Renovation Contractor in South Florida

What does a luxury home renovation contractor do?

A luxury home renovation contractor in South Florida takes an existing estate back to structure where it needs to go there: reconfiguring the plan, upgrading the envelope and bringing the property up to current Florida Building Code, rather than refinishing surfaces. Kass Construction & Development does this across Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and the tri-county area.

The work is run as a full redevelopment project under one licensed general contractor, Mitchell Kass, Florida Certified General Contractor since 2006 (active license CGC1529472), who is also a Florida Licensed Real Estate Professional (License SL334544) and is a member of the Florida Bar. Whole-home transformations, interior reconfigurations, luxury kitchen and bathroom remodels, second-story additions, exterior modernization and waterfront upgrades are the normal scope.

Planning a luxury renovation in 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 most South Florida renovations go back to structure?

Most South Florida renovations go back to structure because the decisive early question is whether the scope crosses the substantial-improvement threshold. Once it does, the whole building must be brought up to current code, including flood elevation, and a remodel becomes a rebuild. Knowing which side of that line you are on decides the budget before the design starts.

Substantial improvement triggers whole-building code compliance in a flood zone
Envelope upgrades: impact glazing, roofing and wind-load continuity
Systems modernization: electrical, plumbing and mechanical to current code
Plan reconfiguration rather than surface refinishing

How does a renovation project run, step by step?

A renovation runs in four stages. The first one settles the substantial-improvement question and the realistic scope, so the design stage starts from the right building and not a hoped-for one.

1. Scope and the substantial-improvement question

The existing structure, systems and envelope are assessed and the scope is measured against the substantial-improvement threshold for the municipality. The result is a written scope and budget range before design money is spent.

Structural and systems assessment
Flood zone and substantial-improvement check
Scope, phasing and whether you can stay in the house

2. Design and engineering

We work with your architect, or introduce one, bringing constructability, cost and permitting feedback into the drawings while changes are still cheap. Structural, MEP and envelope engineering are coordinated into one plan set.

Complete plan sets with every discipline aligned
Value engineering without diluting the design
Code-required upgrades designed in from the start

3. Permitting and inspections

Structural changes, systems upgrades, additions and flood-related modifications are permitted and inspected to current code. Submissions, comment resolution and the inspection sequence are managed as part of the critical path.

4. Construction through closeout

Demolition, structure, envelope, systems and finishes in a planned sequence, with written progress reports on a set rhythm. Closeout leaves you with warranties, as-builts and lien releases in hand.

What kinds of renovation does Kass take on?

Kass takes on the renovations that change what a property is, not only how it looks:

Full-home structural renovations and plan reconfigurations
Luxury kitchen and bathroom remodels
Second-story and footprint additions
Exterior modernization and envelope upgrades
Waterfront upgrades, seawalls and docks
Legacy estates in Coral Ridge, waterfront homes in Las Olas Isles, repositioning in Boca Raton

How is cost, schedule and quality controlled on a renovation?

Cost, schedule and quality are controlled by having one accountable party carry the contract, the permitting and the site. On a renovation that matters more than on new construction, because the building keeps surprises behind its walls.

Cost: fixed scope with a contingency sized to the age of the building, allowances tested against real pricing
Schedule: one master schedule with the cumulative position reported plainly
Quality: inspections against the plans by a builder who has completed 100+ homes

When should you bring in the contractor?

Before you commit to a design. The substantial-improvement check and the structural assessment change what is worth designing, and doing them first is far cheaper than redrawing after the municipality’s review.

Why renovate 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

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 that sets the substantial-improvement threshold is public on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the substantial-improvement threshold and why does it matter?

In a flood zone, when the cost of the work reaches 50 percent of the building's market value, the whole structure must be brought up to current Florida Building Code, including elevation. It is the first question on any South Florida renovation because it can change the scope from a remodel into a rebuild.

Do renovations need permits in South Florida?

Yes for structural changes, systems upgrades, additions and flood-related modifications. Cosmetic finishes generally do not, but the line between the two is drawn by the municipality, and it is checked before work starts, not after.

Can I live in the house during the renovation?

On phased interior work, often yes. On whole-home structural renovations or envelope work, usually not, and the schedule is planned around that from the start rather than discovered halfway through.

How long does a luxury home renovation take?

Whole-home structural renovations commonly run 6 to 12 months, depending on the size and scope of the project and permit approvals. Kitchens, bathrooms and single-room reconfigurations are shorter, and the permitting municipality is usually the largest variable.

Related Guides: Luxury Home Renovation

Go deeper on the questions owners ask most:

Start with the structure

One conversation about the building is usually enough to tell you which side of the substantial-improvement line you are on, and what that means for scope.

If you are planning a whole-home renovation, a structural remodel or a waterfront upgrade in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade, start with the structure.

Kass Construction & Development

East Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Serving Broward • Palm Beach • Miami-Dade

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

Luxury Home Renovation: Common Questions

Do you do kitchens and bathrooms on their own?
Yes, at the luxury end. Most single-room projects here still involve systems and sometimes structure, which is why they are run with the same discipline as whole-home work.

Can you work on a property I rent out or plan to sell?
Yes. The scope is set by the building and the code, not by who lives in it.

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