So, you’ve decided to build a new home in the beating heart of South Florida: Pinecrest. 

First off, congratulations. People don’t say that often enough when someone decides to build a custom home tailored to their specific needs and wants. And they should! Why? Because building a new home is not something that happens every day in your life. It’s a big deal. It’s an exciting deal. And soon? It’s your deal. 

Now, the reason why people don’t get congratulated on this life-changing decision is because it’s quite the undertaking. There’s no other way to say it. It’s complicated, it can get messy, and it will undoubtedly raise your stress levels from time-to-time. 

The good news: the end result is always, always worth it. 

Being able to live in a home that was designed and built for you, your family, your style, and your way of life is probably one of the coolest things ever. You get to live in a piece of art custom crafted for you. So, congratulations. This is big. 

What You Need to Know About Building New in Pinecrest

We’re sure you are at least preliminarily aware that building new doesn’t come without a few key hurdles. In Miami, those hurdles tend to be a bit bigger than in other parts of the country. Think the Steeple Chase to a 100m hurdle. There will be jumps, more distance to cover, and the occasional deep puddle.

Pinecrest, like all of Miami’s cities, has strict building codes and regulations in place that need to be considered in order to build a home that can withstand high winds, heavy rains, and whatever else nature might throw at us.  

But the real doozy right now is the permitting process. Most construction projects that involve any kind of alteration to electrical, gas, plumbing or mechanical systems will need permits. So, when we’re looking at full structural build – there will be lots of permits. 

An Overview of the Pinecrest Permitting Process

New construction projects will require a design review from the Village planners. Here, additional parties like Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department or Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management may also review the designs for approval. If your project’s design falls within the spatial and land use boundaries – then on to applying for building permits.

The Village of Pinecrest will require permit applications for general construction as well as others for concrete, grading, demolition, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. 

If all is perfectly buttoned up and goes according to plan, in a pre-pandemic world without any supply chain issues or labor shortages, an application for permitting could take as few as 30 days. If the Village requires any revisions, which is common, that timeline could stretch further.

As of today, the permitting process is still suffering delays from the earlier days of the pandemic, compounded by the sheer volume of projects that renovation and construction projects being requested throughout Pinecrest. We are currently seeing timelines stretch as far as six months for permits in Pinecrest. 

The good news: this timeline is considerably shorter than the timelines we are currently seeing in Coral Gables. (Sidebar – there is some good news for Gables residents: due to the city’s new process that went into effect in September 2021, they should start to have significant improvements in their own timeline processes as well). 

One you have your permits in hand, building work should typically start right away as your permit is valid for 6 months. Inspections would need to be approved every six months thereafter. But don’t worry, permits can be extended or renewed for a fee – should you need more time. 

Long story short: if you’re ready to build in Pinecrest, the best time to start your project is now. While timelines are starting to shorten, it’s still a variable is subject to change.  

If you have questions, give us a call today.