Port St. Lucie · St. Lucie County

Building on your lot in Port St. Lucie

Eastern Homes builds new single story homes on land our buyers own. If you have a lot in Port St. Lucie, or you are looking at one, we can tell you which of our fifteen plans fit it and what it would cost to build. This page covers the permit, utility and lot checks that apply in Port St. Lucie.

Looking for a home to buy?

We do not have a home for sale in Port St. Lucie right now. Our nearest homes are in Fort Pierce, also in St. Lucie County. Our Available Homes page shows every home we have for sale, and you can sign up there to get an email when a new home is listed.

Own land or looking at a lot?

Send us the address or parcel number. We will tell you which of our plans fit the lot and what it would cost to build there. The lot evaluation is free.

Local facts

Building on a lot in Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie is its own city inside St. Lucie County, so a lot inside city limits follows city rules for permits, utilities and trees. Here is how each part works, with a link to the office that handles it. Our nearest homes are in Fort Pierce.

Port St. Lucie at a glance

How building in Port St. Lucie works

Building permits: City of Port St. Lucie Building Department, for lots inside city limits
Water and sewer: City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems Department
Sewer for new homes: The city says newly built homes must connect to city sewer
Trees on platted lots: Platted single-family lots are exempt from the city’s tree preservation rules when landscaping rules are met
How the city began: Planned by General Development Corporation and incorporated in 1961

The city’s Building Department at City Hall reviews plans, issues permits and does inspections. Before inspections can be scheduled, a recorded Notice of Commencement has to be on file. We handle the permit for the homes we build.

Photo: a stock image of a Florida street. It is not a home we built or a Port St. Lucie address.

Before you buy a lot

Before you buy a lot in Port St. Lucie

These six checks tell you what you can build on a lot and what it may cost. Each one ends with a next step.

Is the lot inside Port St. Lucie city limits?Lots inside the city follow city rules. Lots in unincorporated St. Lucie County follow county rules. Where the lot sits decides which office issues your building permit.Next step: inside city limits, the City of Port St. Lucie Building Department issues building permits. In unincorporated areas, the St. Lucie County Building and Code Regulation Division does. The county’s building permits page explains how to check.

How much of the lot can you build on?The total lot size is not the same as the area you can build on. Setbacks, easements, wetlands, and any deed restrictions or HOA rules can each reduce the space for the house and driveway.Next step: look at a survey of the lot and its recorded restrictions, or send us the parcel and we will check what is on record.

Will trees or wet areas limit the lot?Inside the city, the Planning and Zoning Department handles tree removal permits. Platted single-family lots are exempt from the city’s tree preservation rules when landscaping rules are met. A lot that is not platted may need a permit before protected trees come out. Low or wet areas can also limit where a home can go.Next step: read the city’s tree protection page. Outside city limits, St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department regulates wetlands and asks owners to contact it before any development.

Is the lot in a flood zone?Flood zones are areas FEMA maps by flood risk. A flood zone can affect how high the floor of the home has to be and whether your lender requires flood insurance.Next step: look up the address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. The map is a starting point. A survey gives the exact elevations.

City water and sewer, or well and septic?The City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems Department provides city water and sewer. The city says newly built homes are required to connect to city sewer. To set up service for a new home, it asks for the address and a plot plan or survey, and charges a connection fee.Next step: ask Utility Systems about service and fees for the address. Outside city limits, a lot may need a well or a septic system, and the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County permits septic systems. We also check this in our lot evaluation.

Which of our plans will fit?The lot’s width, depth and setbacks set how large the home’s footprint can be, so lot size alone does not tell you which plan fits. Our plans run from 1,198 to 2,518 square feet, all single story.Next step: send us the address or parcel number and we will tell you which plans fit.

A map check or our lot evaluation is a first look. A survey, engineering, environmental review and permit approval still decide what can be built.

Cost

What affects the cost of building on your lot

The cost of building on your land depends on your lot and your plan. These are the main parts of the cost:

The home. The plan, its size and the finishes you choose.
Getting the lot ready. Clearing, fill, grading and the length of the driveway.
Utilities. Connecting to city water and sewer, or a well and septic system for a lot outside city limits.
Permits and impact fees. The City of Port St. Lucie charges impact fees on new homes, and St. Lucie County runs its own impact fee program. Ask which apply to your address.
Work your parcel needs. Surveys, engineering, and any flood or wetland requirements.

What we need to give you an estimate: the address or parcel number of the lot. If you already have a plan or a size in mind, tell us that too. We price the site work for your lot separately from the house, so you can see both.

Plans

Floor plans to start with

All fifteen of our plans are single story. These four are a good place to start. Which plans fit depends on your lot.

Exterior rendering of the Queen plan by Eastern Homes

Queen3 bed, 2 bath, 1,335 sq ft1-car garage

Exterior rendering of the Coconut I plan by Eastern Homes

Coconut I3 bed, 2 bath, 1,771 sq ftSplit bedroom layout

Exterior rendering of the Foxtail plan by Eastern Homes

Foxtail4 bed, 3 bath, 2,150 sq ftSplit bedroom layout

Exterior rendering of the Royal plan by Eastern Homes

Royal4 bed, 2 bath, 2,234 sq ftTriple split bedroom layout

Own land or found a lot in Port St. Lucie? Send us the address or parcel number.

We will check the zoning, setbacks, minimum living area, flood zone, and utilities or well and septic. Then we will tell you which of our plans fit and what it would cost to build. You get a written answer. The evaluation is free, whether you already own the lot or are thinking about buying it.

Still looking for land? Tell us where you want to build and we will let you know when a lot comes up that fits.

Questions

Common questions about building in Port St. Lucie

Can you review a lot before I buy it?

Yes. Send us the address or parcel number and we will check it for free, the same way we check a lot you already own. Our review is a first look. It does not replace a survey, engineering or permit approval.

Who issues the building permit for a Port St. Lucie lot?

Inside city limits, the City of Port St. Lucie Building Department reviews plans, issues permits and does inspections. In unincorporated St. Lucie County, the county’s Building and Code Regulation Division does. The county’s building permits page explains how to check which one applies.

Will a new home connect to city sewer?

The city says newly built homes are required to connect to city sewer. Its Utility Systems Department sets up service for a new home using the address and a plot plan or survey, and it charges a connection fee. We check utilities as part of our lot evaluation.

What costs are there besides the house?

Getting the lot ready, connecting utilities, permits and impact fees, and any surveys or engineering the lot needs. The City of Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County both have impact fees, so ask which apply to your address. We price the site work for your lot on its own line.

Which of your plans fit a Port St. Lucie lot?

It depends on the lot’s width, depth and setbacks. Send us the parcel and we will tell you which of our fifteen plans fit. The Queen, Coconut I, Foxtail and Royal are good places to start.

Do you have a home for sale in Port St. Lucie?

Not right now. Our nearest homes are in Fort Pierce. Our Available Homes page shows every home we have for sale.

How long does it take to build?

Typically about three months for permitting, then about six months of construction after the permit is issued. The city or county sets the permit timing, so it can be shorter or longer for your lot.