Tidewater
What areas do you build in?
Our work is concentrated across Jacksonville’s southern and eastern neighborhoods, from Ortega through San Marco and Mandarin, east to Atlantic Beach and south through Ponte Vedra Beach and northern St. Johns County. We build on private lots and within select communities including Nocatee, Glen Kernan and Rivertown.
How many homes do you build a year?
We build 8 to 10 homes a year within a defined geographic footprint. We intentionally limit our volume and where we build so our leadership, design and construction teams can stay closely involved in every project, giving you direct access to the people responsible for your home and consistent oversight from start to finish.
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Northeast Florida?
The cost to build a custom home in Jacksonville and St. Johns County depends on the lot, the size of the home, the architecture and the level of finish. As a starting point, our homes generally begin around $300 per square foot of conditioned living space.
Site work, pools, outdoor living and land are priced separately because they can vary significantly from one property to the next. Wooded, preserve and waterfront lots may also require additional site preparation, engineering or permitting that affects the overall cost.
Early in the process, we develop a budget around your lot, your plans and the finishes you want, so the number you work from reflects your home rather than an average.
How long does it take to build a custom home?
Most of our custom homes take 16 to 20 months from the start of design through completion, depending on the size, complexity and site.
That typically breaks into two phases. Design and permitting take around six months, including plans, selections and approvals before construction begins. Construction generally takes another 10 to 14 months, depending on the site, scope and level of detail.
lot
Should I talk to a builder before I buy my lot?
Yes. The lot can have a major effect on the cost, design and timeline of a custom home, and not every property will support what a buyer has in mind. Talking to us before you buy means we can look at the things that are hard to see on a walkthrough, including flood zone and required elevation, setbacks, soils, drainage, utilities and site access, as well as what it will take to build there.
That review can confirm a lot is right for your plans or flag the site work and constraints that could affect the budget before you are committed to the property. Either way, you buy with a clearer picture of what the land will require.
Can you build a custom home on a lot I already own?
Yes. We build on your lot throughout our service area, whether you already own the property or are still evaluating a site. Our team can review the lot early in the process and help identify the conditions that may affect the home’s design, site work, cost and timeline.
How do coastal and flood-zone requirements affect building a custom home in Northeast Florida?
Along the coast from Atlantic Beach through Ponte Vedra Beach, and on lots near the Intracoastal and St. Johns River, the flood zone can shape how a home is designed and built.
Properties in FEMA Zone VE generally require an elevated foundation such as pilings or columns, with the area below designed to allow floodwater and waves to pass through. Zone AE may allow more flexibility depending on the required flood elevation and local regulations. These conditions can affect foundation type, first-floor elevation, drainage and the placement of mechanical and electrical systems.
Properties seaward of Florida’s Coastal Construction Control Line may also require separate state permitting through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
During preconstruction, we review the flood zone, elevation and applicable coastal requirements so we account for them in the design, budget and schedule from the beginning.
design
Do I need architectural plans before contacting a custom home builder?
No. You can come to us with completed plans, begin with one of our existing plans and tailor it to your needs, or work with one of our architectural partners to develop something entirely new. From there, we refine the plan around the way you want to live, the character of the site and the level of design and detail you want to achieve.
Do you have an in-house designer? Can I use my own designer?
Our in-house designer is involved from preconstruction and space planning through selections, finishes and final design decisions, creating continuity between the way the home is planned, built and finished.
If you already have a designer you want to work with, we collaborate with them as part of the process. Our team coordinates directly with your designer so decisions stay aligned with the plans, budget and construction schedule.
Do you handle permitting, engineering and community approvals?
Yes. We manage the permitting process, coordinate the structural and civil engineering your home requires and prepare the necessary submittals for architectural review when your lot is within a community with design guidelines. We carry those requirements through the process so you are not left coordinating them on your own.
build
How will I communicate with my builder and project team throughout the build?
You talk directly to the people building your home, not a coordinator relaying messages. From the first meeting through move-in, the team running your project stays accessible, so questions are answered by the people closest to the work and the decisions being made.
A private project portal keeps your schedule, budget and selections current in one place, so you always know where things stand without having to ask. When something needs your input, you hear about it early from someone who can explain the issue, the options and what happens next.
What happens if costs change during construction?
Your contract price is established upfront. After the architectural agreement, we complete a site analysis before presenting pricing so the known conditions of your lot can be accounted for in the number from the beginning. The proposal is fixed-cost, with allowances for selections still to be made, so you begin with a clear number rather than an open-ended estimate.
If you add to the scope, choose a higher level of finish or request custom work, we price the change and you approve it through your private project portal before we proceed. The same applies when a selection exceeds its allowance: you see the difference and approve it before the item is ordered.
Nothing that changes your cost moves forward without your approval, so you can see where the budget stands and make each decision with the cost in front of you.
What warranty and support do I have after I move in?
After move-in, your home is covered by workmanship, mechanical, structural and manufacturer warranties. For workmanship, we check back in at 90 days and again at 11 months. Mechanical systems are covered for two years, structural coverage extends to 10 years and appliances carry their manufacturer warranties.
We also use an independent third party to help determine what is warrantable, so those decisions are evaluated objectively. The goal is to stay involved after move-in and give you a clear process for addressing anything that comes up during the warranty period.