If this sounds familiar
"Half a kitchen and exposed plumbing." Everything went fine for six weeks. Then the invoices changed, updates slowed, and now nobody's answering. Weekly updates written into the contract, and payments tied to finished phases, keep a job from drifting.
"30% over budget with all the change orders." Doors, baseboards, the cement for the patio tile, all "forgotten" in the quote and billed later. A complete proposal lists every trade and every finish, so there's less to forget.
"The last owner never pulled a permit." You bought a house with an enclosed patio or a converted garage done without permits. Now it has to be legalized or torn out before new work can go forward.
What people worry about most, and what to do
"Our contractor ghosted us mid-renovation"
Ask how you'll get updates and how often: a set weekly call, photos, a shared chat. Keep one named person accountable. Tie payments to phases you can see finished. And look up the contractor's license at myfloridalicense.com before you pay anything.
Call (786) 627-5048"30% over budget with all the change orders"
Some changes are real: you open a wall and find something. Others are items left out of the quote. Ask for a proposal itemized by trade and finish, ask how change orders are priced, and ask which allowances are in the price (tile, fixtures, cabinets) so you know what's yours to choose.
Call (786) 627-5048"Permitting is the thing that kills timelines down here"
That's how one Miami homeowner put it, and others say the same. Ask who pulls the permits, how you'll see their status, and what happens if the city comes back with comments. If you're in a flood zone, ask about the 50% rule early: if the work reaches half the building's value (land not counted), the house has to meet current flood code. North Miami uses 45%.
Call (786) 627-5048What to hold any remodeler to
- Regular updates and one person you can always reach.
- A written proposal itemized by trade and phase.
- They pull every permit and never suggest skipping one.
- They show up as scheduled.
- They come back for the punch list.
- In a condo, they know how building management works.
What moves the price of a whole-home remodel
Two homeowners' numbers show the range. One reported paying "approx $160K in 2021" for a full remodel of a 1,090 sq ft, two-bedroom condo in Brickell. Another said a one-bedroom refresh with new appliances, kitchen, paint and electrical plugs was "around 20k." What moves your number:
- Scope. Cosmetic finishes cost a fraction of moving walls and plumbing.
- Structural work. A wall opened between rooms needs a header and sometimes engineering.
- Old unpermitted work. Legalizing it adds drawings, permits and time.
- The 50% rule. A big enough remodel in a flood zone triggers full flood-code compliance.
- Condo rules. Building hours, elevator bookings and approvals stretch the schedule.
- Allowances. Tile, fixtures and cabinets you choose later can swing the total.
What's different about remodeling in Miami
A lot of Miami's houses are concrete-block homes from the 1950s and '60s, and plenty have a patio or "Florida room" that was enclosed years ago. Walls are masonry, so opening one means cutting block and setting a header, which is a bigger job than cutting through studs. In condos, the building's own rules and management shape the schedule as much as the city does.
Weather matters too. Ask how materials will be stored, especially in rainy season. One homeowner asked, "Contractor left materials out in the rain. Should I be worried?" Drywall, plywood and flooring don't recover from a soaking.
Finish work inside a remodel
Drywall repair, painting, trim and carpentry, and new impact windows are usually part of a larger remodel rather than separate jobs. Ask the remodeler which they handle with their own crew, which go to subcontractors, and how each appears on the price.
What happens after you call
- You call (786) 627-5048, press 1, then choose the room the job starts in, kitchen or bathroom, then enter your ZIP code.
- We connect you with a remodeler who works in your part of Miami.
- They walk the house with you and look for old unpermitted work.
- You get a proposal itemized by phase, with permit dates and a payment schedule.
- Permits (and condo approval) come before demo.
- Work starts, with updates on the schedule you agreed.
Other things people ask about
Paid in full and they won't come back. Keep a final payment until the punch list is signed off.
Living in the house during the work. Ask which rooms you'll lose and for how long. Some big jobs mean moving out for a while.
"How do you actually vet a builder beforehand?" License lookup, insurance certificate from the insurer's office, two recent references you call yourself, and a complete written proposal.
Home remodels across Miami, including Little Havana, Allapattah, Little Haiti, Liberty City, Buena Vista, Coconut Grove, Brickell, Miami Beach, North Miami, Miami Shores and Princeton. See all service areas.
Questions Miami homeowners ask
Questions people ask
How do you actually vet a builder beforehand?
Check the license at myfloridalicense.com, ask for an insurance certificate sent from the insurer's office, call two recent references, and compare written proposals line by line. Trouble getting a quote is a warning sign.
Is going over budget normal on a remodel?
Some overage from hidden conditions is common on big jobs. Overage from things left out of the quote isn't. Ask what allowances and exclusions the price has before you sign.
Why is the permitting and inspection process so difficult?
Big remodels touch structure, plumbing, electrical and sometimes flood rules, and each gets reviewed. Ask the remodeler to walk you through which permits your job needs and roughly how long each takes.
Is there a remodeler that can also do my floors, windows and bathroom in one project?
Yes, that's what a whole-home remodel is. Ask which trades they handle directly and which they subcontract, and make sure all of it is in one written proposal.
Contractor left materials out in the rain. Should I be worried?
Yes, if it's drywall, plywood, flooring or cabinets. Ask how materials will be covered and stored, and who pays to replace anything that gets soaked.
Get the whole job priced and dated before anyone starts demo
Call (786) 627-5048 and we'll connect you with a remodeler who works in Miami. Press 1, then choose kitchen or bathroom and enter your ZIP code. Or get a written price online.