New Construction Architect — Florida

A new construction architect translates your vision — the number of bedrooms, the way you want to live, the aesthetic you're drawn to — into a set of construction documents that your builder can price and your building department will approve. In Florida, a licensed architect (AR) must sign and seal drawings for most new residential construction above a certain size, and for virtually all commercial new construction. At Designda Inc., the architectural design process for new construction moves through three phases. In schematic design, we produce floor plan options and a massing study showing how the building sits on your lot. In design development, we refine the layout, add exterior elevations, and finalize window and door placements. In construction documents, we produce the full permit set: floor plans, elevations, building sections, wall sections, roof plan, stair details, door and window schedules, and finish schedule — plus structural drawings (foundation plan, framing plans, connection details, load calculations) sealed by our PE. Because we hold both licenses in-house, there is no coordination gap between architecture and structure. The drawings are reviewed together before submission. Plan review comments are answered by the same team that produced the drawings.

Building new in Florida requires design expertise that goes beyond aesthetics. The Florida Building Code is among the most stringent in the United States, driven by the state's hurricane exposure, coastal flood zones, and subtropical climate. Every new construction project we design is engineered for the wind speed required for its specific county and exposure category — ranging from 130 mph in inland areas to 180 mph in the Florida Keys. In Wind-Borne Debris Regions (most of coastal Florida), all openings must be impact-resistant or protected by shutters. Roof-to-wall connections, wall-to-foundation connections, and the continuous load path from roof to ground are all designed and detailed by our structural engineer as part of the permit set. Flood zone compliance is equally critical. If your lot is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (AE, VE, or AO zone), the lowest finished floor must be set at or above the Base Flood Elevation plus any local freeboard requirement. For coastal and waterfront lots, this typically means an elevated foundation — pilings, stem walls, or a combination — which we design as part of the structural package. We review the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for every parcel before design begins. Site-specific constraints — setbacks, lot coverage limits, height restrictions, impervious surface ratios, and tree preservation requirements — vary by municipality and county. We research your parcel's zoning before design begins so there are no surprises at plan review.

Our home base is Pineland, Lee County, and we have deep familiarity with building departments and code interpretations throughout Southwest Florida. We've produced permit sets for new construction in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Estero, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Venice, and Sarasota. Post-Hurricane Ian, building departments in Lee and Collier counties are scrutinizing coastal new construction more carefully than ever. We know what plan reviewers in these counties look for — we design to pass review on the first submission wherever possible, and we respond to comments quickly when they arise. Cape Coral is one of the most active new construction markets in the country, with thousands of vacant canal-front lots still being developed. We work on Cape Coral new construction regularly — both Gulf-access and non-access lots, in flood zones ranging from AE to X. Fort Myers and Naples new construction often involves infill lots in established neighborhoods, where setbacks and impervious surface limits require careful site planning.

We serve new construction clients throughout Florida, not just Southwest Florida. In South Florida — Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — we work within the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which has the most stringent wind and impact requirements in the state. Our drawings are produced to HVHZ standards and reviewed by our PE before submission. In the Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee counties), we work on both coastal new construction and inland residential projects. In Orlando and Central Florida (Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake counties), we handle new residential and commercial construction where the primary driver is the Florida Building Code rather than coastal-specific requirements. Regardless of location, our process is the same: licensed architect + licensed engineer, coordinated drawings, permit-ready package, and responsive support through plan review and permit issuance.

Most homeowners and developers building new in Florida hire an architect and a structural engineer separately. That means two contracts, two fees, two timelines, and two firms that must coordinate with each other — a process that frequently produces conflicts, delays, and finger-pointing when a structural detail doesn't match an architectural dimension. Designda Inc. / Pineland Engineering eliminates that entirely. Our licensed architect (AR102594) and licensed professional engineer (PE 39202) work on every project together, in the same office, in the same software (Revit). The architectural and structural drawings are produced and reviewed as a single coordinated set. When the building department asks a question, one firm answers it. This integrated approach also means a single point of contact for you throughout the project — from your first conversation through permit issuance and construction support. One firm. One contract. One phone number: (239) 233-5133.

Getting started is straightforward. Use our quote form at pinelandengineering.com/quote/ or call (239) 233-5133. We'll ask for your address, a brief description of the project (new home, addition, commercial building), your approximate square footage, and your timeline. We typically respond with a detailed proposal within one business day. For new construction, we provide a fixed-fee proposal that covers schematic design, design development, construction documents, and permitting support. The fee covers both architectural and structural engineering — no separate engineering invoice. We can also provide a phased proposal if you want to start with schematic design and decide on full construction documents after you've seen the design direction. We work with clients throughout Florida. Site visits are available for projects in Southwest Florida; for projects elsewhere in the state, we conduct our site analysis remotely using survey data, aerial imagery, and county GIS records.