How Much Do General Contractors Charge in Florida? (2026)
Hiring a general contractor is one of the most important decisions you'll make for a remodeling or construction project. If you're planning a renovation, addition, or new build in Florida, the first question is usually: how much do general contractors charge in Florida?
The pricing below reflects current 2026 Florida market conditions across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County, and is informed by 500+ projects completed since 2015 under license GCG1524886, verifiable at MyFloridaLicense.com. The HVHZ section explains why the same project in Miami-Dade costs meaningfully more than the same project in inland Florida.
How much do general contractors charge in Florida? (2026 short answer)
Florida general contractors typically charge 10%–25% of total project cost or $50–$150 per hour in 2026, depending on scope, region, and complexity. Percentage-based pricing covers project management, supervision, permits, overhead, and profit, and is standard for kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, home additions, and new construction in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County. Hourly rates apply to small jobs only, not remodels over $50,000. Hidden costs include permits, architectural plans, change orders, and HVHZ envelope assemblies on pre-1994 building stock.
Want a written quote for a project in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach County? Free site visit, no trip fee. Get a written quote or call (786) 397-8380.
Average general contractor costs in Florida
What most homeowners can expect in Florida:
| Pricing method | Typical cost range |
|---|---|
| Percentage of project | 10% – 25% |
| Hourly rate | $50 – $150/hr |
| Day rate | $400 – $1,000/day |
| Flat fee (small projects) | $2,000 – $10,000+ |
Most residential projects in Florida use percentage-based pricing, especially for remodels and new construction. The lower end (10%–15%) generally applies to larger projects where fixed costs spread across a bigger base. The higher end (20%–25%) applies to smaller, more complex projects where supervision and permit coordination still consume real hours. Source: Angi 2026 construction management fees data.
What impacts general contractor pricing in Florida?
Four factors determine where your project lands within the price range.
1. Project type and complexity. Cosmetic remodels (paint, flooring) land at the lower end. Kitchens and bathrooms run mid-range. Structural work and additions push higher. Custom-fabricated finishes and full custom homes price premium.
2. Location in Florida. Miami / Brickell / Coral Gables → higher labor and permit costs. Broward and Palm Beach → moderate to high. Central and North Florida → generally lower rates. Miami-Dade labor pools price higher than Tallahassee. Permit fees in Coral Gables are heavier than in Lakeland.
3. Permit and code requirements. Florida operates under the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023), with High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) provisions in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Coastal jurisdictions add 175 mph design wind speed, NOA-approved assemblies on all openings, and FEMA flood-zone substantial improvement rules. Handling permits is part of what the contractor's fee pays for.
4. Contractor experience and licensing. Licensed, insured contractors with verifiable portfolios cost more and save money long-term. Florida licensing is checkable at MyFloridaLicense.com. Permit history is public on BuildZoom.
Florida contractor pricing by project type
Pricing below assumes standard residential scope with permits and standard finishes. Custom-fabricated work and HVHZ envelope replacement push budgets higher (see HVHZ section below).
Kitchen remodel
- $25,000 – $130,000+ depending on tier
- Contractor fee: 15% – 20%
- See full kitchen remodeling pricing tiers in Miami
Bathroom remodel
- $8,000 – $130,000+ across four published tiers
- Contractor fee: 15% – 25%
- See Miami bathroom remodeling pricing tiers
Home addition
- $150 – $400+ per square foot
- Contractor fee: 18% – 25%
- See home additions in Miami
Full home renovation
- $125 – $350 per square foot in Miami-Dade, higher in HVHZ envelope work
- Contractor fee: 10% – 20%
- See full home remodeling pricing for Miami-Dade and Broward
New home construction
- $220 – $450+ per square foot in Miami-Dade HVHZ
- Contractor fee: 10% – 15%
- See new construction services in Miami
How general contractor percentages actually work in Florida
The 10%–25% number gets quoted everywhere. What's less clear is what the percentage actually covers and when it applies.
What the percentage includes. Most homeowners think the fee is pure markup. It isn't. The percentage covers project management, on-site supervision, permit applications and fees, scheduling, subcontractor coordination, overhead (insurance, bonding, office), and profit. Markup is the smallest line in that list.
Where the percentage is calculated. A 20% fee on $200,000 of labor and materials is $40,000. A 20% fee on a $200,000 total that already includes the fee works out closer to a 25% markup on the labor and materials base. The base of calculation should be specified in writing.
How the percentage scales with project size. Smaller projects carry higher percentages because fixed costs (permit hours, supervision visits, scheduling overhead) don't shrink proportionally. A $30,000 bathroom typically runs 20%–25%. A $600,000 whole-home renovation typically runs 10%–15%.
What a written contract should specify. Base of calculation, what's included in the fee, change-order pricing, and final reconciliation at project close.
Field observation. On a recent $180K Miami-Dade remodel, the difference between a 15% and a 20% fee was about $9,000. The 20% bidder had a tighter scope and fewer change-order surprises. The 15% bidder ran closer to 22% by project close. Cheaper isn't always cheaper.
Hourly rates, percentage pricing, and per-square-foot: when each one applies
The three pricing models look interchangeable on a quote summary. They aren't.
Hourly billing — $50–$150/hr in Florida
Hourly rates work for consulting, troubleshooting, very small jobs, and punch-list items. The range reflects license tier, regional labor pool, and scope complexity. See BLS Florida construction occupational wage data for current wage bands.
Where hourly billing breaks down: any remodel over $50,000 in scope. A licensed Florida general contractor who agrees to bill a kitchen remodel hourly is signaling either they can't scope the job or they expect heavy scope creep. Get a fixed scope with a percentage fee or a defined flat fee.
Field observation. Two of the worst remodel disputes seen on Miami-Dade projects started with an hourly-billing handshake. By month three, neither side trusted the timesheet. By month five, the project was in attorney email.
Percentage pricing — 10%–25% in Florida
Standard for remodels, additions, and new construction. Aligns the contractor's incentive with finishing the project rather than extending the hours.
Per-square-foot pricing — common for additions and new builds
Per-square-foot pricing typically applies to home additions ($150–$400+/sqft) and new construction ($220–$450+/sqft in Miami-Dade HVHZ). It doesn't apply cleanly to remodels — a gut remodel of an 80-square-foot bathroom can cost the same as a cosmetic refresh on a 250-square-foot kitchen. Use it for rough budgeting only.
Hidden costs to watch out for
Ask if these are included in the quote:
- Permit and inspection fees
- Architectural or engineering plans
- Section 232 tariffs add 25% to imported kitchen cabinets and vanities through 2026 (planned increase to 50% delayed to January 1, 2027 per the December 2025 White House proclamation)
- Change orders and how they're priced
- Disposal and site cleanup
- HVHZ assemblies if the scope touches openings on pre-1994 building stock
Budget tip: add a 10–15% contingency buffer for surprises, especially in older Florida homes. Hidden conditions surface during demolition more often than not.
What changes about contractor pricing inside HVHZ counties
This is what most national cost-guide articles miss. HVHZ pricing isn't a small uplift — it's a category difference.
HVHZ envelope assemblies
Miami-Dade and Broward Counties sit inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. The 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code requires Miami-Dade NOA-approved assemblies on every opening — windows, doors, garage doors, skylights. On 1980s and pre-1994 building stock that hasn't been retrofitted, replacing the envelope adds $40,000–$120,000 — costs that don't apply in Tampa or Gainesville. Most is opening hardware, not labor.
Permit timelines under Miami-Dade RER and Broward Building Code Services
Permit cycles in HVHZ counties run longer than inland Florida. Multi-trade reviews can take 4–12 weeks against the queue, depending on scope and jurisdiction. The contractor's percentage covers the project management hours that absorb the timeline.
FEMA substantial improvement compliance
In FEMA flood zones, the substantial improvement rule kicks in when remodel cost reaches 50% of structure value. The full structure must come up to current code, including foundation elevation in Zone VE. Added cost: $150,000–$400,000 in coastal Miami-Dade and Broward. Most contractors don't catch this at quote time.
Why the same kitchen costs less in Tallahassee than Miami
Labor pool, permit fees, materials logistics, and HVHZ assemblies. A Tier 02 kitchen running $55,000–$75,000 in Miami-Dade lands closer to $40,000–$55,000 in Tallahassee for the same scope. The difference isn't the contractor — it's the operating environment.
Field observation. Across 37+ BuildZoom-verified permits pulled in Miami-Dade and Broward since 2015, the biggest cost surprise homeowners don't budget for is HVHZ window replacement on pre-1994 stock. Budget $1,200–$2,400 per opening with NOA assembly included. A 12-opening home runs $14,400–$28,800 in hardware alone before installation labor.
See full-home remodeling pricing for Miami-Dade and Broward — HVHZ-specific cost detail and 4-tier breakdowns. Visit the home remodeling page.
How to avoid overpaying a general contractor in Florida
- Verify licensing and insurance at MyFloridaLicense.com
- Get at least 3 detailed quotes with itemized scope
- Demand a written scope of work before signing
- Avoid unusually low bids — they often lead to change orders that exceed the original quote
- Work with a contractor familiar with your jurisdiction — HVHZ knowledge in Miami-Dade, ARB submission experience in Coral Gables, FEMA flood-zone experience on coastal properties
Why homeowners choose Gaven Constructions
At Gaven Constructions, we publish pricing in writing, build to FBC 8th Edition with HVHZ assemblies where the jurisdiction requires them, and document every permit through Miami-Dade RER or Broward Building Code Services.
- License GCG1524886, verifiable at MyFloridaLicense.com
- Free quote, $0 trip fee, written estimate before signing
- 500+ projects since 2015 across kitchen, bathroom, and full-home scope
- Miami-Dade RER and Broward Building Code Services permit experience, 37+ BuildZoom-verified permits
- Written 1–2 year labor warranty, spelled out in the contract before signing
Final thoughts: is a general contractor worth the cost?
Yes — especially in Florida. A licensed Florida general contractor pulls permits and manages inspections, coordinates subcontractors across trades, carries liability for the work, knows when HVHZ assemblies and FEMA substantial improvement rules apply, and manages the schedule end-to-end. When the scope is right and the contract is clear, the contractor fee pays for itself.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage do general contractors charge in Florida?
10%–25% of total project cost. The lower end applies to larger projects where fixed costs spread across a bigger base. The higher end applies to smaller, more complex projects.
How much does a general contractor charge per hour in Florida?
$50–$150 per hour, depending on license tier and scope. Hourly billing applies to consulting and small jobs only. Anything over $50,000 in scope should be priced by percentage or fixed flat fee.
What's the average general contractor fee for a Miami remodel?
Most Miami-Dade remodels carry a 15%–20% contractor fee. Smaller projects land closer to 20%–25%. Larger whole-home projects land closer to 10%–15%. HVHZ envelope work and FEMA substantial improvement triggers affect the final structure.
Get an accurate quote for your Florida project
Free site visit. No trip fee. Written estimate before any work begins. Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC), license GCG1524886.
Schedule a free consultation · Call (786) 397-8380 · Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach County · Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
Last updated May 2026
Florida Certified General Contractor — GCG1524886