Areas we cover
How this section is organized
Broward County is a long stretch of coastline, canals, older neighborhoods, newer planned communities and high rise buildings, all within a short drive of each other. A remodeling plan for a compact older house near the water has little in common with one for a newer townhome inland. This section is built so you can find the page closest to your situation and read it as general guidance.
Each place page below this introduction is written for homeowners in that area. The pages talk about the kinds of homes and conditions that tend to appear in coastal South Florida, the questions worth asking and the materials that suit a hot, humid climate. They are not a history of the place and they do not describe specific streets or developments.
A card for every page appears further down this screen. If you already know where you live, go straight to the card for your city or neighborhood. If you are not sure, keep reading, because the next sections explain what the pages have in common and what makes each one different.
The pages are meant to be read in any order. You might begin with your own city, wander to a neighbor and then jump to a planning page. There is no required path, and nothing here assumes you have already decided anything. If a topic feels unfamiliar, that is a sign to read a little further before you call.
What every area page has in common
Every page follows the same simple logic. It starts with how a remodel might begin in that setting, then moves through the choices that usually matter most: layout, storage, flooring, moisture, lighting and the way outdoor space connects to indoor space. It closes with practical questions to bring to your city, your association and your insurer.
We keep the advice general on purpose. We are not claiming to know a particular street, and we do not state local rules as facts. Building departments and associations set their own requirements, and those requirements change. The most reliable source is always the office that enforces them.
Treat each area page as a thinking tool. Read it, note the points that match your home and write down the questions it raises. Then use the planning and guide pages to dig deeper. A good starting point is the page on setting scope and priorities, which helps you decide what the project should actually accomplish.
Notice, as you read, that the same handful of themes returns in different clothing: how the layout supports daily life, how storage is organized, how materials handle moisture and how light enters a room. These themes are the backbone of nearly every successful remodel, whatever the city or the size of the home.
The climate shapes every remodel here
South Florida's weather is part of every design decision. High humidity means moisture finds its way into walls, closets and bathrooms, and materials that tolerate moisture tend to hold up better. Strong sun fades some finishes and warms some surfaces. Heavy seasonal rain tests every roofline, window and door.
Salt air is another factor for properties near the shore. It can dull or corrode metal fixtures and hardware over time, so finish choices on handles, faucets and exterior connected openings deserve attention. Even homes several blocks inland may feel its effect, which is why corrosion aware choices are a sensible habit across the county.
Hurricane season affects planning as well. It influences how materials are delivered and stored, how open work areas are protected and how doors and windows are chosen. We do not state any rating or code requirement here. If your plan touches openings, ask your city building department and your insurer what applies. Our page on hurricane season and construction planning lays out the questions in order.
Wind and water are not abstract in this part of the country. Even outside storm season, afternoon downpours test seals around doors, thresholds and windows, and a plan that treats those details as important tends to age better. Mention any past leaks or damp spots when you talk through the property, because they influence what should be addressed first.
A wide mix of home types
Broward homes range from older single story houses with modest rooms to larger newer homes with open layouts, and from garden style condos to towers and townhome communities. Each type brings its own planning questions. An older house may reveal hidden conditions when walls and floors are opened. A newer house may have more open space but plenty of surfaces that benefit from better storage and lighting.
Condos and townhomes bring an association into the picture. Rules about hours, flooring assemblies and common areas can shape what is possible. Our page on condo and townhome renovation covers those questions in depth, and it pairs well with the guide to condo association approvals.
Single family neighborhoods may have a homeowners association too, especially where changes are visible from the street. If your plan touches the front of the house, a fence, a driveway or an exterior color, it is wise to ask your association first. Our page on HOA approval basics offers a starting list.
Mixed neighborhoods are common here, with a modest older house sitting next to a larger newer one. That mix means a single block can contain very different construction methods and very different expectations. Do not assume your neighbor's project predicts yours; the condition of your own home is what counts.
Coastal, canal and inland settings
Properties near the ocean or along a canal share a few concerns. Moisture and salt are more present, flooring that tolerates humidity is more valuable and the connection to outdoor living is often a priority. People near the water tend to want a porch, patio or large opening that brings the outside in.
Inland communities have different priorities. Rooms may be larger, lots may be wider and outdoor spaces may be shaped by a pool or screened enclosure. Interior work tends to focus on kitchens, bathrooms, storage and the overall flow between rooms, with moisture still an everyday consideration.
Neighborhoods inside Fort Lauderdale add a further layer, because a single city can contain waterfront streets, quiet residential blocks and mixed use areas with buildings of many ages. The neighborhood pages here keep the advice general, and each one reminds you to ask your city and association what applies to your property.
If you live near the water, ask yourself how much of the day you spend near an opening to the outside. If the answer is a lot, then the doors, the floor beside them and the hardware you touch every day deserve particular attention. A well chosen threshold and a durable finish near the door can save frustration for years.
Where to begin if you have a kitchen or bath in mind
Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms most homeowners think about first, and with good reason. They combine plumbing, electrical work, storage and surfaces in a small space, so a thoughtful plan matters more than in almost any other room.
If you are thinking about a kitchen, the pages on kitchen remodeling and the kitchen remodel planning checklist offer the next steps. If a bathroom is on your mind, bathroom remodeling explains the service and covers waterproofing, ventilation and layout.
Whichever room you choose, the same general principle applies: understand what already exists, decide what the room should do better and match the materials to the climate. Your area page below will remind you of the local flavor of those decisions.
Both rooms also reward honest conversation about habits. Do you cook daily or occasionally? Do two people use the bathroom at the same time every morning? Do guests use the hall bath? Answers like these steer decisions about storage, counter length, the number of sinks and the size of the shower far better than a generic template.
Planning questions that apply everywhere in the county
Some questions are worth asking no matter where you live in Broward. What does my city building department require for the work I have in mind? Does my association need to approve the plan? Will my insurer want to know about changes to windows, doors or other parts of the home? What do I need to prepare before work starts?
Those questions do not have a single county wide answer. Each city has its own building department, each community writes its own rules and each insurer has its own approach. The responsibility on our side is to help you organize the questions, and the responsibility on theirs is to answer them.
Our page on permit questions to ask before you remodel is a good tool for this. It gives you a short list to take with you when you speak with the city, so that nothing important gets forgotten and you leave each call with a clear answer.
Some homeowners prefer to start with a single room and see how the process feels before planning more. Others want to plan the entire home at once and carry out the work in phases. Either approach is reasonable, as long as the early decisions leave room for the later ones, such as keeping flooring and finishes consistent from room to room.
How to use the cards below
The cards that follow list every place page in this section. Cities appear alongside Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods, so you may see more than one page that fits your address. That is fine. Read the one that sounds closest to your home and then browse a neighboring page if the setting is similar.
If your area is not listed, do not worry. The guidance on these pages is general enough to be useful in other parts of Broward County too. Pick a nearby place with a similar mix of homes, such as Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach or Oakland Park, and apply the same questions to your own address.
Remember that each page is educational and general. It does not claim that we have worked on any given street or in any given community. It is meant to help you think clearly, ask better questions and prepare for a productive conversation.
A good habit is to save the name of the person you speak with at each office, along with the date and a short note of what they told you. Rules can be applied differently from one situation to the next, and a simple written record gives you something to refer to if questions come up later in the project.
What happens when you decide to talk
When you are ready to talk about your project, the process begins with a phone call. You describe the property, the space and your priorities. We discuss layout, materials, storage, lighting and the conditions already in place, then build the plan and selections, and prepare for construction by going over the plan and the information needed before work begins.
You do not need to arrive with a finished design. Notes, photos and a short list of problems you want solved are plenty. The better you can describe how you use the space today, the easier it is to shape a plan that serves you well tomorrow.
The design and planning process page walks through each step in more detail, and the home page gives an overview of everything we do. Both are good places to continue once you have found your area.
If you are unsure how to describe a problem, take a photo. A picture of a crowded countertop, a dim hallway or a door that sticks tells the story more clearly than a paragraph does, and it helps keep the early conversation grounded in your actual home rather than in an idealized one.
Keep your own checklist as you browse
As you read, keep a running list. Write down the rooms you want to change, the problems you notice, the materials that appeal to you and the questions to ask your city, association or insurer. A one page list built while you browse is the most useful thing you can bring to a first conversation.
It also helps to separate must have items from nice to have items. When a project grows, the nice to have list is usually the first place to look for adjustments. Having it written down early keeps the plan focused on what matters most.
Finally, take your time. A remodel is a big decision, and the more you understand about your own priorities and your own property, the better the result. Use these pages as a calm, practical starting point and come back whenever a new question comes up.
Share your list with the people who live in the home. A remodel affects everyone, and the quiet preferences of a family member, such as a shelf at a child's height or a bench near the door for tying shoes, are often the details that make a home work well once the dust settles.
Keep the list short enough to act on. Ten clear items beat forty vague ones, and you can always add more after the first conversation. Revisit it after a few days, cross off what no longer matters and highlight the two or three items that would make the biggest difference in daily life.
Questions and answers
Are these area pages specific to my street or community?
No. Each page offers general guidance for homeowners in that city or neighborhood, based on conditions common to coastal South Florida. They do not describe specific streets, developments or local rules, and they do not claim any history of work in a particular place. Use them to prepare questions, then check with your city and association.
What if my city or neighborhood is not listed?
The advice still applies. Broward County shares a climate and a mix of home types, so a neighboring page is usually a helpful guide. Choose the page that matches your kind of home and setting, such as coastal, canal or inland, and apply its questions to your own address.
Do you tell me which permits my project needs?
Requirements vary by city, building and community, and the offices that enforce them make the final call. We help you organize the questions to ask your city building department, your association and your insurer, and we build the plan around the answers you receive.
Why does humidity come up so often on these pages?
Because moisture is a constant in South Florida homes. It affects flooring, cabinets, paint, bathrooms and closets. Choosing materials that tolerate humidity and planning good ventilation helps finishes stay in good shape, so the topic appears wherever a remodeling decision depends on it.
Should I read the area page or the service page first?
Either works. If you already know the room you want to change, start with that service page. If you are still exploring the setting and the type of home, begin with your area page. Both lead naturally to the planning pages, which help you organize priorities, selections and questions.
How do I start a project?
Call and tell us about the property, the space and your priorities. We talk through layout, materials, storage, lighting and existing conditions, build the plan and selections, and prepare for construction by going over the plan and the information needed before work begins. You do not need drawings to make the first call.