Stuart, FL · Martin County
Build in Stuart. Keep the builder's margin.
Construction Management in Stuart, FL: Build at Real Cost
Looking at new construction in Stuart, FL? You don't have to buy it from a builder. We manage your build on your own lot, at real cost plus one fixed fee, inside Stuart's city limits or anywhere in the Stuart area of Martin County, like Palm City and Jensen Beach. You see every quote and every bill, and you follow your single-story home from anywhere, or visit it in person whenever you want.
- 1fixed fee
- 4milestone payments
- ~7 mo.target after permits
- 100%digital process
Photo: Ragestrike / Public domain
Reviewed by Mauricio Salas, Certified General Contractor (FL license CGC1509510)· Updated
Why Stuart
Why build in Stuart, Martin County's riverfront county seat
Stuart is a small city with a big pull. It's the county seat of Martin County, it sits where the St. Lucie River meets the Indian River, and its historic downtown keeps a small-town feel. The city itself covers only about 7 square miles, so much of what people call "Stuart" is really the Stuart area of Martin County, and we build there too.
- Right on the Treasure Coast: between Port St. Lucie to the north and Jupiter to the south, with I-95 and Florida's Turnpike to the west.
- A life on the water: the "Sailfish Capital of the World," with two rivers, boating and the beaches of nearby Hutchinson Island.
- A downtown with history: Downtown Stuart and East Stuart were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2026.
- More than the city: Palm City, Jensen Beach and Port Salerno sit around the city, in unincorporated Martin County, with their own lots for single-story homes.
City figures: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Vintage 2025 population estimates (April 2020 to July 2025) and 2020 land area. Past growth doesn't guarantee future results, and this isn't investment advice.
Home builders vs. construction management
Comparing home builders in Stuart, FL? Look at the structure first.
In Stuart, most new construction homes are sold inside builder communities, at one price that already includes the builder's margin on every material and trade. With construction management, you build on your own lot and the project stays yours: we plan, hire and supervise vetted subcontractors for you, at real cost.
Buying from a home builder
The usual way- One price, with the builder's margin inside every material and trade
- You don't see what each subcontractor really charges
- Updates arrive when the builder decides to send them
- At closing, you get the keys
Construction management with Smart Builds
The smart way- Real cost: materials and labor, plus one fixed fee
- Every quote and every bill, shared in your investor portal
- A live camera on your site from the foundation, plus milestone updates
- Subcontractors paid only after we inspect and approve the work
- At closing: keys, Certificate of Occupancy, a 360° virtual tour and a financial report
What about savings? We estimate that building at cost can save around 20–30% versus a builder price, even after our fee. It's a range, not a promise: the market and the finishes you choose set the final number. Our fixed fee is the one number you'll know from your first call.
Building in Stuart
New construction homes in Stuart, FL: what we check before yours starts
In Stuart, two lots a few miles apart can follow different rules. Once your contract is signed, we review your lot from the construction side and sort out who approves what, so your schedule and your budget start from real information. Every home is built to the Florida Building Code, with block walls and a roof designed for hurricane winds.
City of Stuart or Martin County?
A Stuart mailing address doesn't always mean the City of Stuart. We confirm where your lot really sits, because that decides which building department, zoning rules and fees apply.
What your lot allows
We confirm setbacks, easements and the footprint for a single-story home, and adapt the plan to your lot before it goes to permit.
Flood zone, close to the water
With two rivers and many canals, lots in the Stuart area can sit in a flood zone. We check yours and the floor elevation it requires, because both shape the foundation and the fill.
Public water and sewer, or well and septic
Some lots connect to public water and sewer; others need a well and a septic system, with their own permits and costs. We find out early, so it's in your budget from the start.
HOA approval, on top of the permit
In a community with an HOA, your home's design needs the HOA's architectural approval as well as the building permit, and both come before construction starts. We prepare your submittal to its rules and follow it until approval.
Historic districts downtown
Downtown Stuart and East Stuart are listed historic districts. If your lot is in or next to one, we check with the city whether any extra design review applies before your plans go to permit.
No house plans yet? Bring your own, adapt an existing design or start a new one with a licensed independent engineer you hire directly.
See your options for single-story home plans →Cost to build in Stuart
How much does it cost to build a house in Stuart, FL?
At real cost there's no single sticker price. Your number comes from your lot, your plans, your finishes and the market when materials are bought. This is how a single-story budget usually splits, and what tends to move it in the Stuart area.
How your construction budget splits (approximate)
Your general contractor gives you an approximate budget per trade, based on experience and the market. Each trade's final cost is set when it's quoted and bought.
What can move your budget in Stuart
- City or county: the City of Stuart and Martin County have their own requirements and fees.
- Flood zone: near the rivers and canals, the fill and foundation height your lot requires.
- Utilities: a well and a septic system if your lot has no public water or sewer.
- HOA rules: required materials, roof or exterior finishes.
- Your finishes and the market: your choices room by room, and lumber, block and steel prices that go up and down.
What stays fixed: our fee, known from your first call and paid in 4 milestones. Your 5–10% contingency stays with you, not with us.
How your build works
From a video call to your keys in Stuart, in 3 stages
Whether your lot is in the city or in Martin County, the process is the same, so you always know what's next and where your money is.
Pre-construction
A free 30-minute Strategy Session, then your contract, signed online. Nothing starts before it.
- Lot review and your house plans
- An approximate budget per trade, plus a 5–10% contingency that stays with you
- Permit package prepared and submitted for you
Construction
Every trade is quoted first. You fund that quote, the trade gets the green light, and it's paid only after we inspect the work.
- Quality control by a Certified General Contractor at every phase
- Live site cameras and your investor portal
- Visit your build anytime, or follow it online
Closing
Your home is finished, inspected and yours, with everything documented.
- Keys and the Certificate of Occupancy
- A 360° virtual tour of your finished home
- Financial report: invested vs. projected
About 7 months after permits: that's our target for a single-story home. It's a goal, not a promise, and our fixed fee means finishing on time is how we win.
See the full process, step by step →Out of state or abroad?
Build in Stuart, FL from anywhere
Up north part of the year, in another state or abroad? Our process is 100% digital, so you can run your Stuart build from wherever you are, and you're always welcome on site.
Plans, signed digitally
Plans can be designed, signed and sealed digitally by a licensed independent engineer.
Contract and permits online
You sign the contract online, notarize your owner documents online, and we submit the permit for you.
Your investor portal
Quotes, bills, the timeline, photos and documents of your build, on your phone or computer.
Live site cameras
One outside from the foundation, and a second inside once the drywall is up.
A 360° virtual tour
Walk through your finished home as many times as you want, as if you were there.
English and Spanish
Our whole team is bilingual, from your first call to the keys.
Or see it in person
Visit your build whenever you want, like on any traditional build. Digital is how you follow it from anywhere, not a rule.
All construction funds come from a U.S. bank account in your name or your company's, even if you live abroad.
Who runs your build
The team behind your Stuart build
You'll know who's in charge from day one: one point of contact for you as the owner, and two general contractors running the site. Together, 30+ years of experience.
Jorge (George) Rojas
Construction Manager
Your point of contact. 16 years managing projects; in Florida he has worked as an estimator and scheduler for a new-home builder, a construction manager and an inspector.
Mauricio Salas
General Contractor · QC & QA
Certified General Contractor, Florida license CGC1509510. Building homes since 2005, with 300+ homes in New York and Florida.
Alexander Salas
General Contractor · Field Operations
30+ projects since 2022. Handles permits, subcontractors and the selection and purchase of materials.
Stuart questions
Building a new home in Stuart: your questions
Straight answers about city limits, permits and waterfront lots in Stuart, FL and Martin County.
Costs, timing or building from abroad? See all questions →Do you build outside Stuart's city limits, like Palm City or Jensen Beach? +
Yes. We build single-story homes anywhere in the City of Stuart and in the Stuart area of Martin County, including Palm City, Jensen Beach and Port Salerno, whatever the neighborhood or location of your lot. The process and the team are the same; what changes is which office approves your permit. We also build in the other six cities we serve, from Jupiter to Melbourne.
Who issues the building permit for a new home in Stuart? +
It depends on where your lot really is, not on the mailing address. Inside city limits, the City of Stuart issues it. In unincorporated areas, like Palm City or Jensen Beach, it's the Martin County Building Department. Once your contract is signed and your plans are ready, we confirm the jurisdiction, prepare the package, submit it for you and follow it until approval.
How long does a building permit take in Stuart or Martin County? +
There's no fixed number. What Florida law sets is the clock (Florida Statutes, section 553.792): for a single-family home under 7,500 square feet, the building department has 30 business days after receiving a complete application to approve or deny it. Rounds of corrections, the HOA's approval and other permits, like a septic permit, add time, so we never promise a date. We send a complete package and answer every comment quickly to keep it as short as possible.
Can you build on a waterfront lot in Stuart? +
Yes. On a lot by the river or a canal, the flood zone and the required floor elevation matter even more, and they shape the foundation and the fill. We check them right after the contract is signed so they're in your budget from the start. Work on the water itself, like a dock or a seawall, is a separate project with its own permits.
Does it matter if my lot is in an HOA community? +
Yes, a lot. Many communities around Stuart and Palm City have an HOA with its own architectural rules for new homes: exterior, colors, roof, size and more. Its approval is added to the building permit, and both are needed before construction starts, so the HOA's review time adds to your schedule. A design that doesn't follow the rules can be sent back for changes. If you're still choosing a lot, ask your realtor for the HOA's architectural guidelines before you buy.
Not ready to talk yet? Start with the free guide
Before you build in Stuart or anywhere in Martin County, check your project with The Formula That Never Fails: the 10 strategic moves we use to decide if a build is ready to start.
Free Investor Strategy Guide, in English and Spanish.
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Where we build
Also building near Stuart
Same process, same team, from Jupiter to Melbourne, FL.
Why build in Southeast Florida? →Your Stuart build starts with a 30-minute call.
Book a free virtual Strategy Session. In a 30-minute video call we'll get to know your goal (rent, sell or live in), your capital and your lot in Stuart or Martin County, or where you'd like to build, and walk you through how your build would work. It's a first approach with estimates: the real work on your project starts once the contract is signed.
In your free 30-minute virtual Strategy Session
- Your goal: rent, sell or live in
- Your capital or financing, and your lot in the Stuart area
- Our fixed fee: the one number that's set from day one
- A first look at estimated build costs vs. a builder price
- 100% virtual: join by Zoom from anywhere