New Home Construction in Orlando, FL
CN Development Group builds custom and spec homes across Orlando and Central Florida — on your lot, to your plans, managed by one licensed general contractor from lot evaluation through final walkthrough. Before you spend a dollar on design, we'll tell you what your parcel can actually support.
Years building in Central Florida
Homes & commercial projects delivered
Licensed & insured general contractor
What We Build
Custom Homes
Built to your architectural plans on your lot — or ours, if you're starting from an idea. Full structural engineering coordination and Florida Building Code compliance included.
Spec Homes
Market-ready homes for builders, developers, and investors, priced and scheduled around your carrying costs and target sale window.
Owner-Builder Assistance
Acting as your own contractor under Florida's owner-builder exemption? We provide scheduling, subcontractor procurement, and permit management at whatever level of support your project needs.
Site Development & Foundation
Clearing, grading, drainage, utility coordination, and engineered slab or stem-wall foundations — the phase that quietly determines whether the rest of the build stays on budget.
Our Build Process
Five stages, one project manager, from lot evaluation to keys in hand.
Lot Evaluation & Preconstruction
Zoning, survey, soil, drainage, and utilities reviewed — then a line-item budget including impact fees, before you commit.
Design, Engineering & Permitting
Plans finalized, structural engineering coordinated, and a complete permit package submitted and managed through every round of county comments.
Site Work & Foundation
Clearing, grading, drainage, utility runs, and an engineered foundation laid to code.
Framing & Systems Rough-In
Structure goes up; electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are roughed in and inspected before walls close.
Finishes & Final Walkthrough
Drywall through cabinetry and exterior finishes, then a full walkthrough and punch-list sign-off before keys.
How Long It Takes
Most Central Florida custom homes run 10–14 months from first consultation to move-in. Here's where that time actually goes.
Lot evaluation & design development
Permitting & plan review
Construction
Inspections, punch list & closeout
Orange County plan review for a new single-family structure typically runs 3–6 weeks through the FastTrack online portal, with expedited review available for an added fee. Submittal completeness is the single biggest variable — incomplete packages sit in the queue through multiple comment cycles. We submit complete.
Built to Florida Code, Built for Florida Weather
Ultimate design wind speed zone for Orange County & Greater Orlando
Every home we build complies with the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code, which adopts ASCE 7-22 wind loads — lower than the South Florida High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, but well above what most of the country builds to.
In practice that means engineered roof-to-wall connections and continuous load paths, code-compliant opening protection where wind-borne debris requirements apply, and envelope and HVAC decisions made for Central Florida heat and humidity rather than a national spec sheet. Built right, that also means a wind mitigation report that earns you real insurance credits from year one.
What a New Home Costs in Central Florida
Real numbers, not a range so wide it's useless. Every project gets a line-item budget during preconstruction — before you sign a construction contract.
Production-quality build
Custom build, standard finishes
High-end custom
Typical all-in project cost
Orlando and Tampa have seen the steepest construction cost growth in Florida, running 6–9% above the prior year. Site conditions, finish level, and design complexity move these numbers more than square footage does.
The line item most builders don't mention
~$27KOrange County non-school impact fees on a 2,000–2,499 sq ft home, with school impact fees adding several thousand more — assessed at permit issuance, across transportation, fire, law enforcement, and parks & recreation.
We put impact fees in your budget on day one — not as a later surprise.
Financing Your Build
New construction doesn't finance like buying an existing home, and the difference catches people off guard.
Construction-to-Permanent Loans
A single loan funds construction and converts automatically into your permanent mortgage when the home is complete. One closing instead of two typically saves $3,000–$5,000 in duplicate closing costs.
Your Land Can Be Your Down Payment
If you already own the lot, its equity often counts toward your down payment — which is why buying land first is a common path to building in Central Florida.
Draws and Interest
During construction you pay interest only, on funds drawn as work is completed and inspected. We build our billing around lender draw schedules and provide the documentation your lender needs at each stage.
We're not a lender and we don't take a referral cut — but we work with your lender's inspector and draw process so financing never stalls your schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to build a house in Orlando?
New home construction in Central Florida generally runs $175–$300 per square foot, with high-end custom builds reaching $600+ per square foot. Most complete projects fall between $390,000 and $1.2 million. Site conditions, finish level, and design complexity affect the number more than square footage alone. You'll get a line-item budget — including impact fees — during preconstruction, before you sign a construction contract.
How long does it take to build a home in Central Florida?
Most custom homes take 10–14 months from first consultation to move-in: roughly 1–2 months of design development, 1–2 months of permitting, 7–9 months of construction, and a few weeks of inspections and closeout. Orange County plan review for a new single-family home typically takes 3–6 weeks.
What are impact fees and how much are they in Orange County?
Impact fees are one-time charges assessed at building permit issuance to fund the public services a new home draws on — transportation, fire, law enforcement, parks and recreation, and schools. In Orange County, a new single-family home of 2,000–2,499 square feet carries close to $27,000 in non-school impact fees, with school fees on top. Cities within the county assess their own schedules. We include them in your budget from the start.
Can you build on a lot I already own?
Yes — build-on-your-lot is most of what we do. We start with a lot evaluation covering zoning, setbacks, survey, soil, drainage, flood zone, and utility access, so the design fits what your parcel actually supports.
Do I need to own land before I contact you?
No. We regularly review parcels for clients still deciding whether to buy. A lot evaluation before closing is the cheapest insurance in the entire process — wetlands, a failed percolation test, or a well setback conflict can add tens of thousands to a build or make a parcel unbuildable.
What's the difference between a custom home and a spec home?
A custom home is designed around your plans and preferences. A spec home is built to a market-ready standard for a builder, developer, or investor to sell once complete. We manage both the same way — preconstruction budgeting, permitting, construction, and project management included.
Do you work with owner-builders?
Yes. Under Florida Statute 489.103(7), you can pull your own permit for a home you'll occupy, provided you supervise the work directly and hire only licensed trades. We provide subcontractor procurement, scheduling, permit coordination, or full construction management — scoped to how involved you want to be.
Do you handle permitting?
Yes, on every project. We prepare and submit complete permit packages and manage every round of comments with Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake county building departments and the municipalities within them, through final inspections.
What wind rating do you build to?
Homes in the Orlando area are engineered to a 130–140 mph ultimate design wind speed under the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code and ASCE 7-22. Orange County is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, but continuous load paths, engineered connections, and code-compliant opening protection are still required — and produce a wind mitigation report that earns insurance credits.
Ready to build?
Send us your lot address or your plans — whichever you have. We'll come back within one business day with an honest read on what's buildable and what it costs.
Get a free lot evaluation