Naples and the Gulf Coast
Ask About the 50 percent Rule Before You Draw Anything
On an older home in a flood zone, if the cost of improvement reaches a defined share of the structure's value, the whole building generally has to be brought into compliance — including elevation. That turns a renovation into a rebuild, and homeowners discover it at permit after paying for a design that was never going to be built.
The property, its age, and what you are contemplating. We will tell you whether it is a renovation or a rebuild before anybody draws anything.
50%
The rule that turns a renovation into a rebuild
Half empty
A seasonal house is unoccupied for months at a time
Elevation
What you can build is decided before you draw it
Licensed
General contractor, licensed in the state of Florida
What we build
What we build
Six project types, each shaped by flood elevation and the improvement rule.
New Construction
A new house on a Gulf coast lot, designed from the required finished floor elevation upward.
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Tear-Down & Rebuild
Removing an older house and building new. On many Gulf coast lots it is the sensible answer once the improvement rule is understood.
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Major Renovation
Substantial renovation of an existing home, where the improvement rule determines what is actually possible.
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Elevating a House
Physically raising an existing house above the flood elevation. Specialist work, and sometimes the right answer.
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Outdoor Living
Lanais, pools, summer kitchens and terraces. On the Gulf coast they are a substantial share of both the budget and the use.
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Guest Houses & Additions
Detached guest accommodation and additions, where zoning and the improvement rule both apply.
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Gulf Coast specifics
Gulf Coast specifics
The improvement rule, seasonal occupancy, architectural review, exposure and distance.
The Improvement Rule
On an older home in a flood zone, improvement cost reaching a defined share of the structure's value can trigger full compliance — including elevation.
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Seasonal Homes
Much of this market is occupied in winter and closed through the summer, which is the hottest and most humid part of the year.
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Architectural Review
Many Gulf coast communities operate architectural review, and it judges appropriateness rather than compliance.
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Gulf Exposure
A Gulf-front home is in a corrosive environment continuously, and the specification has to reflect it throughout.
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How We Work Here
We are on the other coast, licensed in the state of Florida, and we work here on scheduled projects.
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The difference
How we work
Ask about the 50 percent rule before you plan anything
On an older home in a flood zone, if the cost of improvement reaches a defined share of the structure's value, the whole building generally has to be brought into compliance — including elevation. That turns a renovation into a rebuild, and homeowners discover it after they have paid for a design.
A seasonal house is unoccupied for months
Half this market is closed up for the summer, which is the hottest and most humid part of the year. Humidity control while the house is empty, monitoring, and how the building is closed up matter more here than almost anywhere, and they are design decisions rather than instructions to a caretaker.
Elevation is settled before the design begins
Required finished floor elevation shapes the entry sequence, what happens underneath, how the house meets the ground, and how it looks from the street. It is fixed before anybody draws anything, and a design developed without it is a design that will change.
We are Fort Lauderdale based and we say so
Licensed in the state of Florida and working here on scheduled projects. That is a different relationship from a Naples firm you can call in for a snag, and we would rather be clear about it.
Start here
Ask about the rule first
The property, its age, and what you are contemplating. We will tell you whether it is a renovation or a rebuild before anybody draws anything.
We are Fort Lauderdale based and licensed statewide. For a small project, or one where you want the builder available at short notice, a Naples firm will serve you better.
FAQ
Common questions
- What is the 50 percent rule?
- Broadly, if improvement cost reaches a defined share of the structure's value, full compliance — potentially including elevating the whole house — can be triggered. Your building department makes the determination.
- When should we ask about it?
- Before commissioning any design. Discovering it at permit means the design money is gone and the project starts again.
- Is rebuild usually better?
- Frequently, once the threshold is understood — the renovation money was going into bringing an old structure up to standard rather than into the house you wanted.
- Can we turn the air conditioning off when we leave?
- It produces mould over a Florida summer. It is the most common and most damaging economy in this market.
- What is the worst risk to an empty house?
- A supply water failure running for weeks. Leak detection with automatic shut-off prevents it and costs little.
- Is architectural review just a formality?
- No. It judges appropriateness rather than compliance and can reject an entirely compliant design. Read the committee's recent decisions.
- What fails first in Gulf salt air?
- Concealed fixings, which nobody sees until something moves. On a balcony railing that is a safety issue.
- Are you based in Naples?
- No. Fort Lauderdale, licensed in the state of Florida. There is a superintendent on site, and for small projects a local builder is the better choice.
Service area
Where we work
- Counties covered
- Collier · LeeCollier and Lee, on the Gulf coast.
- Office hours
- Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMAsk about the 50 percent rule before you plan a renovation. Here it decides everything.
- Phone
- (954) 807-3208
Read our Google reviews — worth a look before you let anyone on your building.
No showroom, and that is deliberate
Romco is a service-area contractor. There is no trade counter to visit, because the work happens at your building rather than at ours.
Outside the immediate Broward and Palm Beach corridor we work through established local trade partners and manage the project ourselves. You deal with one point of accountability either way — the crew on site changes, the person answering for the job does not.
For anything urgent, call(954) 807-3208 rather than using the form. We would rather look at it than quote it blind.
Next step
Find out what is actually wrong with it.
An inspection, photographs of what we found, and a written scope. If the honest answer is that it can wait another season, that is the answer you will get.