How we build our cost and permit data

Every project carries a national baseline range (low, typical, high) plus a unit price. A location applies two multipliers: a cost index derived from regional labor and material pricing, and a permit index derived from local fee schedules. Local cost = baseline × cost index, rounded to a sensible increment. We show the resulting percentage difference against the national baseline on each page so the adjustment is visible rather than hidden. Estimates exclude structural surprises, hidden damage, and financing costs.

Florida enforces one statewide code — the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code, effective December 31, 2023 — through 67 counties and 411 municipalities. We store statewide rules once and let jurisdiction pages inherit them, then layer local amendments on top. Local amendments can add requirements but cannot reduce the statewide minimum, so where we have not verified a local amendment we present the statewide rule and link the jurisdiction's own building department.

• • Cost indexes reviewed quarterly; current pricing vintage is August 2026.
• • Code edition and statewide rules reviewed on each Florida Building Code cycle.
• • Building department links re-checked when a page is edited.
• • Calculator formulas are published on the calculator page so you can verify the math yourself.

• • Invent contractor quotes, review counts, ratings or testimonials.
• • Present a modeled number as a verified quote.
• • Replace your building department — always confirm before you apply.

If a fee schedule, permit rule or department link is wrong, we want to fix it. Start from the State hubs to find the jurisdiction page in question, then use the official source links there to confirm the current rule.