Renovation Contractor in North Miami Beach, FL

North Miami Beach, Florida

North Miami Beach is home for 26 Builders. It is where we are based, and many of our projects are a short drive from here. Despite the name, most of the city is not on the beach. It sits on the mainland side of the Intracoastal, with gated waterfront neighborhoods along the water and established residential streets inland.

That mix is why renovations here vary so much. On one street it is a waterfront house on a canal that needs new glass, a new kitchen and a pool terrace. On the next it is a 1960s ranch house with original plumbing, low ceilings and a layout nobody wants anymore. The city has its own building department with its own rules, and nearby areas such as Sky Lake fall under different jurisdictions, so the first question on any job is who issues the permit.

The neighborhoods we know best

Eastern Shores. A gated peninsula between Maule Lake and the Intracoastal, with Dumfoundling Bay to the northeast. It was built on land filled in the late 1950s, and the streets are laid out along man-made canals, so most lots are waterfront. Houses here need what waterfront houses need: seawall attention, impact glass, roofs and an honest look at the flood zone before a large renovation.

The inland neighborhoods. Fulford, University Park, Uleta, Oakgrove and the streets around City Center mix single-family homes with smaller multifamily buildings, many of them decades old. The city traces back to Fulford-by-the-Sea and took its current name in 1931. In older houses here we plan for cast iron drainage, undersized electrical panels and walls that were never meant to come down.

Sky Lake and the surrounding area. Nearby is Sky Lake, a neighborhood in north Miami-Dade where we built a new house from the ground up on a waterfront lot and completed a kitchen and flooring renovation. Depending on the address, homes in this area may be permitted by the City of North Miami Beach or by Miami-Dade County, so check the property’s jurisdiction before you assume.

Renovating an older North Miami Beach house

When we open up an older house here, a few patterns repeat:

• Drain lines. Cast iron under the slab is common in homes of this era and is often near the end of its life. Replacing it while floors are already up costs a fraction of doing it later. Our article on cast iron pipe replacement explains what to look for.
• Open layouts. Owners want the kitchen open to the living room. In a concrete block house with a wood roof structure, that wall may be carrying the roof. It can usually come out with a properly engineered beam. Our Sky Lake kitchen project started by opening walls. See removing a load-bearing wall.
• Windows and doors. Replacing original openings with impact-rated units is often one of the most noticeable improvements in comfort and storm protection, and it requires a permit.
• Additions. Many lots here have room to grow. A primary suite or second story needs structural design, zoning review and a check against the 50% rule if the property is in a flood zone.

Our guide to renovating an older Florida home covers these in more depth.

Flood zones in North Miami Beach

The city notes that some portions of North Miami Beach are designated by FEMA as Special Flood Hazard Areas, while others are in lower-risk X zones, and that map updates can move a property from one to the other. Expect the question to matter most on waterfront lots near the Intracoastal and Maule Lake.

The rule to know is the 50% rule. When the cost of improvements to a building in a high-risk zone reaches half of its market value, the house has to meet current flood requirements for new construction. The city keeps elevation certificates on file for buildings constructed or substantially improved after 1997, which is a useful starting point for planning. The Planning and Zoning Division can confirm a property’s zone.