You’ve probably seen the headlines in the last few years– wealthy Americans have been flocking to Florida much faster than any other state in the US. Considering all of the benefits of living in Florida – gorgeous weather, incredible beaches, chic coastal lifestyle, no state income tax, and a low cost of living – it’s no wonder that so many people have been relocating to the Sunshine State.
This movement to the nation’s southeasternmost state means a huge demand for high-quality, luxury construction in Florida. If you’re building your dream home and beginning the research process, choosing a builder is one of the most important things to get right.
That being said, there’s no harm in exploring the possibilities when it comes to achieving your dream home in Florida. Whether you’re at the stage where it’s time to pick a builder or just looking for inspiration, this list of the top luxury home builders in Florida will get you excited about building your very own luxury custom home.
The Top Luxury Home Builders in Florida
Whether you’re considering building in Naples, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, or anywhere in between, some truly talented and experienced high-end builders in Florida exist.
Look at some of the galleries of the top luxury builders in our list to see that these are not companies that produce cookie-cutter “McMansions” – they are working with the finest architects and the highest-quality materials to create truly unique homes for their clients.
Note: This is not a ranked list, and the luxury home builders we’ve selected appear in no particular order.
Frank R. Jenkins Custom Homes
Specializing in building high-end custom homes in Southwest Florida, Frank R. Jenkins Custom Homes offers hands-on, expert guidance during the entire luxury home building process. If you’re exploring building your dream home in the Fort Myers and Naples area, Frank R. Jenkins Custom Homes is committed to working with home builders from the very first step to help you stay on budget and schedule.
Founded by Frank R. Jenkins, this family-owned and operated business has been building high-end custom homes for more than 25 years. The team at Frank R. Jenkins has an impressive portfolio that includes award-winning homes in some of the most prestigious neighborhoods throughout Florida.
When you work with this luxury custom homes company, you work directly with the owner and their experienced team. They use only the highest quality materials and track every detail of the construction process through their build management app; this means you can keep an eye on daily progress photos, payment records, contracts, and much more, no matter where you are.
Kurtz Homes
Kurtz Homes has been constructing luxury homes in Southwest Florida for over four decades as a family-owned and operated custom home-building company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Founded in 1996, Kurtz Homes has established itself as one of the premier luxury home builders in the state.
Recipients of numerous awards and honors, this father and son team, began their business remodeling estates and quickly expanded to constructing new high-end homes.
The sprawling estates created by Kurtz Homes in Naples, Bonita Springs, and Pelican Bay have been featured in Home and Design, Naples Illustrated, and other publications.
London Bay Homes
Mark Wilson is a well-known name in the world of Naples luxury home building, and he is often credited for defining the high-end market in Southwest Florida. With over 25 years of experience and craftsmanship, London Bay Homes has become one of the most sought-after home builders in the area. The company offers a variety of home designs that are tailored to each individual’s unique lifestyle.
The company he runs with his brother, Stephen Wilson, has won over three hundred awards. Most of their homes are located in Fort Myers Beach, Naples, Estero, and Sarasota and typically come with a price tag between $1m and $10m.
John McDonald Company
The John McDonald Company is known for its lavish estates in South Florida. Found only in the most elite areas of Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Jupiter Island, North Palm Beach, and North Palm Beach County, these homes have won numerous awards, including national BALA awards, Aurora awards, and PRISM Best of Show awards.
Known for their intricate details and expert craftsmanship, they can construct remarkable homes in various styles, from New Modern and Anglo-Caribbean to French Mediterranean and Bermuda Classical.
Josh Wynne Construction
Building homes that are typically priced between $1.5m and $4m, Josh Wynne Construction primarily creates custom estates in Palmetto, Oneco, Longboat Key, Desoto Lakes, and Utopia. He’s been creating truly remarkable homes since 1998, with a mission to add actual value to the housing scene of Florida beyond soulless McMansions.
Josh Wynne built the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum home in Florida, the highest-scoring LEED Platinum home on the planet.
The winner of three Aurora Awards, it’s easy to see that Josh Wynne is a true craftsman when you page through his impressive portfolio. If you’re interested in building a sustainable home that is extremely energy efficient without sacrificing performance, Josh Wynne should be one of the luxury builders on your list.
E2 Homes
If you’re interested in building a modern, luxury home in the Orlando area, E2 Homes should be on your list of builders to check out. Priding themselves on their forward-thinking business practices, the company and its owner Rob Smith have won over thirteen industry awards.
You can also find many of their innovative and cutting-edge designs in publications, including Dwell, Orlando Home & Garden, TecHome Builder, Fine Homebuilding, and more.
Serving the areas of Orlando, Maitland, and Winter Park, E2 Homes are one of the top luxury home builders in Central Florida.
Are you trying to decide between purchasing stock luxury home plans or designing your custom estate? This guide goes over the pros and cons of each option.
Aurora Builders
Though Southwest Florida gets a lot of attention for its gorgeous beaches and Gulf Coast lifestyle, the Jacksonville area shouldn’t be overlooked if you want to live a luxurious and relaxing life in your custom estate.
One of the things that makes Aurora Builders stand out is that they focus on keeping their volume of production low so they can ensure that the customer experience is unparalleled.
The President of Aurora Builders, Michael K. Lenahen, has owned construction companies for the last three decades. He studied at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in France after receiving his Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Architecture.
If one of your primary concerns is building a high-performing, eco-friendly home that taps into the potential of smart technology, Aurora Builders should be on your list. Lenahan is a Certified Green Professional, Certified Building Contractor, and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist.
Aurora Builders has won an impressive number of awards over the years and primarily serves the areas of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach.
Christopher Burton Luxury Homes
Specializing in designing and building homes that range from 3,000 to 8,000+ square feet, Christopher Burton Luxury Homes primarily builds high-end homes in Melbourne and the Beaches but also serves Orlando and Vero Beach.
Founder Christopher Burton has been working in the construction industry since he started sweeping floors for his uncle’s building company as a teenager. Recognized nationally by the National Association of Homebuilders as one of the top 40 homebuilding professionals under 40, Christopher Burton Luxury Homes have also won four Aurora Awards and 10 Platinum and Gold Awards from the HBCA Parade of Homes.
Ross Built
Established in 2006, Ross Built is an award-winning custom home builder highly regarded for its quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. Owned and led by the husband and wife team of Greg and Lee Ross, you can get a sense of what is possible when you work with Ross Built by looking at their Blue Heron home.
The winner of the Aurora Silver Award for the Best Custom Home 4,000-6,000 square feet during the 2021 Southeast Building Conference (SEBC), Blue Heron is a one-of-a-kind home that successfully combines luxury and functionality.
Have you been searching for the perfect location to build a lake-side getaway? Check out this guide to ten of the best custom home builders on Lake Keowee, South Carolina.
Mark Timothy, Inc.
Specializing in elegant estates in Boca Raton, Hillsboro Mile, Manalapan Beach, Delray Beach, and Palm Beach, Mark Timothy, Inc. is one of Miami’s top luxury home builders. Like many other builders on our list, Timothy was exposed to construction at a young age through a family business. Starting his own company right after graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he remains committed to giving personal attention to each of the essential stages of a building project.
You can find modern and traditional homes in his firm’s portfolio, but they always seem ideally suited to the laid-back beach lifestyle South Florida is known for. Whether you’re looking to create a Spanish villa, an Italianate manor, or an angular modern home, this builder truly succeeds in creating the ultimate luxury living spaces.
Hollub Homes
Pinecrest, Florida, is a community of luxury homes in South Miami, where some of the wealthiest and most famous people in the world have owned homes, including Jeff Bezos, David Ortiz, and Timbaland, to name a few.
The founder of Hollub Homes, Marvin Hollub, has built twelve affluent communities in Pinecrest since he built his first home in 1954. His son has taken over as the current president and CEO of the company, who worked his way up from planting grass at age thirteen to beginning to take on carpentry projects at sixteen years old.
Though Hollub Homes has built some of the most luxurious custom homes in the distinguished area of Pinecrest, they are still primarily a family-run business. Harry’s sister, Helen Hollub, is an award-winning designer for Hollub, and his brother Aaron is the operations vice president.
The recipients of over one hundred awards and honors over the years, Hollub Homes range in price from $650,000 to $25 million and are built in Pinecrest, Key Biscayne, South Miami, Miami Beach, and Palmetto Bay.
Curious to learn about home builders in other luxury regions of the southeast? Check out this list of ten of the best home builders on Georgia’s Lake Oconee, where you’ll find genuinely remarkable examples of craftsmanship and luxury custom designs.
The Top Luxury Home Communities in Florida
Now that you are thoroughly inspired by all of your luxury home builder options in Florida, it’s worth looking at some of the best high-end communities where you could build your dream home.
Note: This list isn’t in any particular order. Instead, it represents a collection of some of the finest neighborhoods and communities where your luxury estate will be right at home.
- Ocean Reef Club, North Key Largo: Homes– $725k-$10m; Lots– $530k-$11m
- John’s Island, Vero Beach: Homes, townhouses, and condos– $550k-$16m; Lots– $1m-$6m
- The Concession Golf Club & Residences: HOmes– $1.19m-$3.9m; Lots– $289k-$549k
- Talis Park, Naples: Homes– $677k-$10m; Lots– $660k-$2m
- Fiddler’s Creek, Naples: Homes– $1.5m-$6m
- Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Palm Coast: Homes and condos– $350k-$3.5m; Lots: $300k-$700k
- Hammock Dunes, Palm Coast: Homes and Condos– $299k-$4.9m; Lots– $175k-$1.9m
- Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club: Homes– $600k-$3m
- Nocatee, Ponte Vedra: Homes– $400k-$2m+
- Sailfish Point Country Club, Stuart: Homes, townhomes, and condos: $800k-$26m; Lots– $750k-$3m
- The Islands on the Manatee River, Parrish: Homes– $1m-$5m+; Lots– $200k-$900k+
For a more comprehensive look at the best custom home communities in Florida, look at our recent post that explores eight excellent options in the Sunshine State.
Getting Your Project Off on the Right Foot
Designing and building your custom home is a remarkable and rewarding experience but also rife with potential pitfalls. We want to tell you a little secret if you’re beginning the home-building process. If this is your first time going through the process, you might think you should start touring open lots and interviewing builders immediately, but you’ll want to resist this temptation.
To ensure your project stays on budget and on time, you’ll want to follow a specific structure outlined in our Custom Home Guidebook and Workshop. It’s our mission to help people achieve the home of their dreams without running into many of the costly mistakes that are far too common in the custom home industry.
Dream Home Studio is always here to discuss our time-tested method of navigating the homebuilding process, whether you’re considering selecting a builder or entertaining the idea of a custom home.
Searching the Florida MLS
Searching the Florida MLS (Multiple Listing Service) for existing luxury homes offers a comprehensive gateway to some of the most exquisite properties in the Sunshine State. Whether you’re seeking waterfront estates, gated community residences, or architecturally significant homes, the MLS provides detailed listings, high-quality images, and essential information that can help you make an informed decision. With user-friendly search functions, prospective buyers can filter options based on location, price range, number of bedrooms, and specific luxury amenities, ensuring a tailored search experience.
The advantage of using the Florida MLS lies in its real-time updates and the breadth of its listings, which are sourced directly from real estate professionals across Florida. This access ensures that potential buyers receive the most current market insights and property statuses, crucial for the fast-paced luxury real estate market. Moreover, many MLS platforms offer additional tools like virtual tours and neighborhood information, enhancing the buying experience by providing a comprehensive overview of the property and its surroundings before making a visit.
