New Construction
Ground-up construction,
led from a single point.
Custom new construction is the highest-consequence engagement in residential building — every decision is authored, every trade is coordinated, and every constraint is resolved before ground is broken.
Executive Summary
A ground-up custom residence is not a larger renovation. It is a different engagement — one where the building is authored from the ground up rather than reconciled against existing conditions, and where the coordination burden shifts from what is there to what will be built.
Sterling & Stone leads new construction in close partnership with the architect of record. Scope, procurement, permitting outlook, and site logistics are resolved during a defined planning phase, and the construction sequence is engineered against the design set — not the other way around.
Project Approach
How the work is led.
Architect-led, construction-integrated
The architect of record retains authorship of the design. Sterling is the construction counterpart from schematic through closeout — protecting the design in the field without eroding it.
Procurement in planning
Long-lead materials — stone, millwork, imported hardware, appliance packages — are procured against a documented schedule, not caught up to after framing.
Site logistics engineered, not improvised
Delivery windows, staging, neighbor coordination, and inspection sequencing are set before ground is broken so the site runs on a plan rather than a reaction.
Owner represented at every interface
The owner is represented against every consultant, subcontractor, and municipal authority. The client is briefed, not consulted, on issues that do not require their decision.
Scope Examples
What is typically included.
- Ground-up custom single-family residence on an inland or waterfront site
- Guest houses, pool houses, and accessory structures coordinated as part of the primary residence
- Full site development — grading, drainage, hardscape, and landscape framework
- Structural, envelope, MEP, and finish work executed to the architect's design intent
- Coordination of AV, lighting, security, and low-voltage integrators from schematic
- Long-lead procurement of stone, millwork, appliances, and imported hardware
Typical Client Profile
Who this engagement is for.
The owner building their long-term residence
Clients building a home they intend to keep — and who require the process to be as considered as the result.
The relocating principal
Owners relocating to South Florida who have bought a lot and are prepared to build to their own program rather than accept an existing house.
The design-led ultra-luxury project
Owners engaged with a nationally-recognized architect and interior designer, who need a construction lead capable of protecting an uncompromising design.
Common Challenges
What typically goes wrong — and how it is prevented.
Design that outpaces procurement
Long-lead materials selected without procurement discipline become the schedule's critical path — after the design is committed to them.
Site work underestimated
Grading, drainage, and utility work on a new-construction site are frequently under-scoped in early estimates. Realistic site scope is resolved before contract, not after.
Consultant coordination through the owner
On poorly led new-construction projects, the owner becomes the coordinator of last resort between architect, engineers, integrators, and trades. Sterling absorbs that role by design.
Neighbor and community management
New construction lasts long enough to become part of the neighborhood conversation. Community management — notifications, staging discipline, and communication — is a project deliverable, not an afterthought.
Planning Process
Before construction begins.
01
Site and program review
The site — its constraints, its jurisdiction, and its neighborhood context — is reviewed alongside the client's program before the architect commits to schematic.
02
Constructability review of the design set
Sterling reviews the design set with the architect against constructability, budget, and procurement. Findings are returned as options, not obstacles.
03
Procurement plan
Long-lead materials, custom millwork, and integrated systems are put on a procurement schedule that runs alongside the drawing set.
04
Permitting outlook
Municipal review, coastal review where applicable, HOA review, and any environmental overlays are mapped against the client's target schedule.
05
Pre-construction sign-off
Scope, budget, sequence, procurement, and permitting outlook are consolidated into a single pre-construction document reviewed with the client.
Construction Process
How the work is delivered.
01
Site preparation and utilities
Site clearing, grading, and utility connections executed to the civil set before foundations begin.
02
Foundation and structural frame
Foundation and structural work executed to engineered drawings, with inspection points sequenced into the schedule.
03
Envelope and weather-tight
Roofing, windows, doors, and cladding brought to weather-tight before interior work begins.
04
MEP and rough integration
Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and low-voltage rough-in coordinated with the design set and the finish plan.
05
Interior finish and integration
Stone, millwork, hardware, lighting, and finishes brought together as a single interior — held to the tolerances the design requires.
06
Site, landscape, and closeout
Site work, hardscape, landscape, and pool sequenced to closeout, with commissioning and warranty documentation delivered as a single package.
Regulations
The review layers that apply.
New construction in South Florida sits under the Florida Building Code, county and municipal review, and — depending on site — coastal, environmental, and HOA review layers. Sterling coordinates the full path from schematic through certificate of occupancy.
Municipal and county review
Every South Florida jurisdiction reviews new construction against zoning, structural, and life-safety requirements. Documentation, engineering seals, and revision cycles are planned into the schedule.
Florida Building Code
New construction meets the current Florida Building Code across structural, envelope, energy, and life-safety domains. Compliance is designed in, not verified at the end.
Coastal and flood standards
Sites in coastal or flood-hazard areas carry additional elevation, envelope, and permitting requirements. These are addressed in planning, not in the field.
HOA and neighborhood standards
Gated communities, historic districts, and design-review neighborhoods carry design standards and approval calendars that are treated as first-class inputs to the schedule.
Regulatory context varies by jurisdiction and site. Specific requirements are confirmed with the applicable authority during planning.
Related Services
Service
Waterfront Construction
Coastal-zone residential construction across South Florida — bayfront, oceanfront, and inland waterway sites.
Service
Owner's Representation
Independent representation of the owner across the full construction lifecycle.
Service
Whole-Home Renovation
Comprehensive reworks of plan, structure, systems, and finishes, delivered as a single engagement.
Service
Seawalls
Seawall assessment, coordination, and replacement — consolidated under a single engagement.
From the Journal
Philosophy · 6 min read
What Luxury Really Means During Construction
The market defines luxury by what is added to a home. The people living through construction define it by something else entirely.
Leadership · 7 min read
Why Luxury Renovations Become Stressful (And Why They Don't Have To)
The stress most homeowners associate with major renovation is not caused by construction. It is caused by the way construction is led.
Frequently Asked
- How long does custom new construction take in South Florida?
- Custom new construction typically runs eighteen to thirty-six months from contract through certificate of occupancy, depending on scope, site conditions, permitting outlook, and long-lead procurement. The realistic window is set during planning for the specific project.
- Do we need our own architect, or does Sterling provide one?
- Sterling & Stone works with the client's architect of record. Where a client has not yet engaged one, Sterling can make introductions to firms whose work aligns with the client's design direction, without any financial relationship that would compromise the recommendation.
- How is budget established before drawings are complete?
- During planning, budget bands are established against the program, the site constraints, and the identified variance drivers. Those bands narrow as the design set matures — and the final contract number resolves variance rather than absorbing it into change orders.
- How is neighbor and community impact managed during a multi-year build?
- Community management is a project deliverable: staging discipline, notifications, delivery-window control, and a single point of contact for neighbor questions. It is planned in from the start, not improvised as issues arise.
- Can you build on a waterfront site?
- Yes. Waterfront new construction is a core discipline for Sterling & Stone. The engagement carries additional coastal, elevation, and marine coordination — see our waterfront construction page for detail.
Private Consultation
Ready to begin planning a custom residence?
New-construction planning conversations are handled directly by a principal, in confidence.