Build a Hurricane Home

Start With Your Property, Priorities and Vision

Hurricane Homes by Latitude 98 offers a coordinated path for building a stronger, more efficient, and better-prepared home in Florida.

Whether you already own a residential lot, are searching for land, want to adapt one of our available home designs, or need a fully custom residence, Latitude 98 can coordinate the development process from initial site evaluation through design, engineering, permitting, construction, completion, and homeowner turnover.

Every project begins with the property and the people who will live there. We evaluate the site, lifestyle needs, architectural preferences, resilience priorities, energy goals, backup-power requirements, budget, and long-term ownership plans before establishing the development strategy.

A More Deliberate Way to Build in Florida

Building a Hurricane Home is not simply a matter of adding impact windows or installing a generator.

The home should be planned as a complete system that coordinates:

• Site elevation
• Drainage
• Structural engineering
• Foundation design
• Roof geometry
• Roof-to-wall connections
• Exterior openings
• Water-intrusion protection
• Energy efficiency
• Humidity control
• Backup power
• Durable materials
• Accessibility
• Long-term maintenance

The specific systems and features depend on the property, local requirements, engineering, budget, homeowner priorities, and intended level of resilience.

No home can be represented as hurricane-proof or immune from flooding, wind, water intrusion, fire, utility interruption, or other storm-related damage.

Begin With a Property

You may begin the Hurricane Home process with land you already own.

Latitude 98 evaluates properties such as:

• Residential lots
• Infill parcels
• Oversized lots
• Rural or estate properties
• Aviation-community lots
• Airport-accessible properties
• Properties with an existing home to remove
• Family-owned land
• Public or institutional land
• Larger sites suitable for multiple homes

The initial review helps determine whether the property appears suitable for the intended home and what additional investigation may be required.

Begin With a Home Concept

You may also begin with a general idea of the home you want before selecting a property.

The initial home program may include:

• Approximate square footage
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms
• One- or two-story design
• Garage requirements
• Aircraft hangar requirements
• Home-office space
• Multigenerational living
• Accessibility needs
• Outdoor living
• Pool planning
• Architectural style
• Backup-power goals
• Energy priorities
• Target construction budget

Latitude 98 can use this information to establish property requirements and identify sites that may support the project.

Build on Your Own Lot

If you already control a property, the process begins with a preliminary site review.

The evaluation may consider:

• Current zoning
• Future land use
• Property boundaries
• Setbacks
• Lot coverage
• Building height
• Legal access
• Driveway requirements
• Utility availability
• Well and septic feasibility
• Flood-zone information
• Finished-floor requirements
• Existing drainage
• Wetlands
• Soil conditions
• Protected trees
• Easements
• Construction access
• Neighbourhood or association restrictions

A property may appear buildable but still contain restrictions or infrastructure requirements that materially affect the home design and project cost.

Need Help Finding Land?

Latitude 98 can help define the site criteria for a Hurricane Home and evaluate potential properties.

The property search may consider:

• Preferred county or community
• Lot size
• Neighborhood type
• Aviation access
• Utility availability
• Flood exposure
• Drainage
• Road access
• School or employment proximity
• Desired home size
• Garage or hangar requirements
• Construction budget
• Long-term value

Available and off-market properties may be compared based on both purchase price and total development cost.

The lowest-priced lot is not always the most economical property to build on.

Preliminary Property Review

The initial property review is intended to identify major opportunities and obvious concerns before detailed design begins.

Available information may be reviewed for:

• Parcel identification
• Ownership
• Lot dimensions
• Zoning
• Future land use
• Flood conditions
• Wetland indicators
• Access
• Utilities
• Existing structures
• Surrounding uses
• Apparent development capacity

This preliminary review does not replace a survey, environmental study, engineering analysis, title review, geotechnical investigation, or formal agency confirmation.

Detailed Site Due Diligence

A property moving forward may require additional due diligence such as:

• Boundary and topographic survey
• Title review
• Easement review
• Wetland delineation
• Flood-elevation information
• Environmental assessment
• Geotechnical testing
• Soil analysis
• Tree survey
• Utility confirmation
• Well and septic testing
• Drainage analysis
• Existing building assessment
• Demolition review
• Association-document review

The scope depends on the property and identified risks.

Select a Predesigned or Custom Home

Hurricane Home projects may begin with either an available design or a custom architectural process.

Predesigned Hurricane Home

A predesigned home may offer:

• A more efficient design process
• Greater cost predictability
• Established room arrangements
• Repeatable construction details
• Standard resilience features
• Faster selection decisions
• Fewer design variables
• Potentially shorter permitting preparation

The plan must still be adapted to the property, orientation, setbacks, utilities, drainage, engineering, and local requirements.

Custom Hurricane Home

A custom home may be appropriate when the homeowner wants:

• A unique architectural design
• A highly specific room arrangement
• An estate residence
• Multigenerational living
• Advanced accessibility
• A hangar home
• Oversized garages
• Workshops
• Specialised energy systems
• Expanded outdoor living
• Advanced backup power
• A design shaped around unusual land

Custom projects generally require additional design time, coordination, engineering, and budgeting.

Define Your Resilience Priorities

Not every home requires every available resilience feature.

Latitude 98 helps organise priorities around the property and homeowner’s goals.

Potential priorities may include:

• Stronger structural connections
• Simplified roof design
• Enhanced roof-deck attachment
• Sealed roof deck
• Wind-rated roofing
• Impact-resistant windows
• Impact-rated exterior doors
• Reinforced garage doors
• Enhanced drainage
• Higher finished-floor elevation
• Backup power
• Battery storage
• Solar readiness
• Humidity control
• Automatic water shutoff
• Leak detection
• Durable exterior materials

The highest-priority vulnerabilities should generally be addressed before lower-impact convenience upgrades.

Define Your Energy and Backup Strategy

Energy and backup planning begins with identifying what the household needs during an outage.

Potential essential loads may include:

• Refrigeration
• Selected lighting
• Air conditioning
• Medical equipment
• Well pumps
• Septic equipment
• Communications
• Security
• Home-office systems
• Garage access
• Selected kitchen circuits

Potential systems may include:

• Generator-ready wiring
• Critical-load panel
• Permanent standby generator
• Load-management controls
• Battery storage
• Solar readiness
• Solar generation
• Generator and battery integration
• Whole-home surge protection
• Energy monitoring

The system should be sized using actual electrical loads and qualified professional calculations.

Establish the Project Budget

A complete Hurricane Home budget may include:

• Land acquisition
• Closing costs
• Surveys
• Due diligence
• Architecture
• Engineering
• Site planning
• Permits
• Impact fees
• Utility connections
• Clearing
• Demolition
• Earthwork
• Drainage
• Foundation
• Home construction
• Garage or hangar
• Driveway
• Landscaping
• Backup systems
• Energy features
• Interior selections
• Construction financing
• Insurance
• Contingency

Site work and infrastructure can significantly affect the total cost even when two homes have the same floor plan and square footage.

Budget Around Priorities

The project team may divide the budget into:

• Required site and code work
• Core construction
• Standard resilience
• Enhanced resilience
• Energy and backup systems
• Interior finishes
• Outdoor improvements
• Optional amenities

This helps protect essential structural and water-management features before allocating funds to finishes or optional upgrades.

Preliminary Feasibility

Before detailed design, Latitude 98 evaluates whether the proposed home, site, budget, and schedule appear reasonably aligned.

The review may consider:

• Home size
• Property constraints
• Site-development cost
• Construction assumptions
• Required approvals
• Utility requirements
• Resilience priorities
• Financing
• Preliminary schedule
• Expected completed value

The home design, feature package, or property may need to be adjusted based on this review.

Architecture and Floor-Plan Design

The architecture team develops the home around:

• Lifestyle needs
• Site orientation
• Room relationships
• Outdoor living
• Storage
• Accessibility
• Roof simplicity
• Structural efficiency
• Natural light
• Privacy
• Energy performance
• Backup systems
• Long-term flexibility

The goal is to create a home that is attractive and comfortable while remaining practical to engineer, permit, build, insure, maintain, and operate.

Civil and Site Engineering

Civil engineering may address:

• Building placement
• Finished-floor elevation
• Grading
• Drainage
• Driveway access
• Stormwater
• Utilities
• Well and septic systems
• Retaining walls
• Floodplain requirements
• Erosion control
• Construction access

The site design must be coordinated with the home rather than completed as an unrelated process.

Structural Engineering

Structural engineering may address:

• Foundations
• Wall systems
• Roof systems
• Wind loads
• Continuous load paths
• Roof-to-wall connections
• Wall-to-foundation connections
• Garage openings
• Large window and door openings
• Covered outdoor structures
• Hangar connections
• Specialty loads

All structural systems must be designed for the specific home, property, and applicable requirements.

Mechanical and Humidity Planning

Mechanical design may include:

• HVAC load calculations
• Variable-speed equipment
• Zoned cooling
• Duct design
• Dehumidification
• Ventilation
• Exhaust systems
• Equipment protection
• Backup-power integration
• Smart controls

Florida homes require attention to both temperature and humidity.

Oversized cooling equipment may reduce humidity control, while poorly located equipment may be difficult to service or vulnerable to flooding.

Electrical and Backup-Power Design

Electrical planning may include:

• Utility service
• Main panel
• Critical-load panel
• Transfer switch
• Generator
• Battery system
• Solar readiness
• Surge protection
• EV charging
• Medical-equipment circuits
• Smart-home systems
• Exterior power
• Garage or hangar equipment
• Emergency lighting

Backup systems should be incorporated into the construction documents rather than improvised after the home is completed.

Plumbing and Water-Protection Planning

Plumbing design may coordinate:

• Water supply
• Sewer or septic
• Water heating
• Fixture locations
• Efficient pipe runs
• Shutoff valves
• Leak detection
• Automatic water shutoff
• Drainage
• Exterior connections
• Well systems
• Water treatment

Accessible shutoffs and early leak detection may help reduce damage from plumbing failures.

Select Exterior Materials

Exterior material decisions may consider:

• Wind performance
• Moisture resistance
• Corrosion
• UV exposure
• Termites
• Maintenance
• Repairability
• Insurance considerations
• Product availability
• Architectural appearance
• Replacement cost

Potential materials may include:

• Reinforced masonry
• Concrete systems
• Engineered framing
• Fibre-cement siding
• Durable stucco assemblies
• Metal roofing
• High-wind-rated shingles
• Impact-resistant windows
• Corrosion-resistant hardware

No exterior material is maintenance-free or immune from storm damage.

Select Interior Materials

Interior selections may include:

• Flooring
• Cabinetry
• Countertops
• Fixtures
• Lighting
• Appliances
• Doors
• Hardware
• Paint
• Tile
• Storage systems
• Smart-home controls

Material choices should balance appearance, durability, moisture resistance, maintenance, availability, and budget.

Design Review and Cost Updates

Design and budgeting should advance together.

Latitude 98 may coordinate cost reviews during:

• Conceptual design
• Schematic design
• Design development
• Construction-document preparation
• Contractor pricing
• Value engineering

When the design exceeds the budget, adjustments may involve:

• Home size
• Roof complexity
• Garage size
• Window area
• Structural systems
• Exterior materials
• Interior finishes
• Optional resilience features
• Outdoor improvements
• Project phasing

Complete Construction Documents

The final permit and construction package may include:

• Site plan
• Floor plans
• Elevations
• Roof plan
• Foundation plan
• Structural plans
• Mechanical plans
• Electrical plans
• Plumbing plans
• Energy calculations
• Product approvals
• Window and door schedules
• Drainage plans
• Landscape plans
• Material specifications

These documents establish how the home is to be permitted, priced, and built.

Permitting

The project may require:

• Building permit
• Site permit
• Clearing permit
• Demolition permit
• Driveway permit
• Utility approvals
• Well permit
• Septic permit
• Environmental approval
• Floodplain permit
• Tree-removal approval
• Homeowners association approval
• Aviation-community approval
• Pool permit
• Generator or fuel permit

Permit requirements and review timelines depend on the property, jurisdiction, home design, and project scope.

Contractor Selection and Pricing

Latitude 98 may coordinate contractor and trade pricing based on the completed plans and specifications.

The review may include:

• Base construction price
• Site work
• Allowances
• Resilience systems
• Energy and backup systems
• Interior finishes
• Exclusions
• Schedule
• Insurance
• Licensing
• Experience
• References
• Warranty
• Change-order procedures

The lowest price may not represent the best value if the scope is incomplete or the contractor lacks relevant experience.

Construction Financing

Potential financing may include:

• Cash
• Construction loan
• Construction-to-permanent loan
• Portfolio financing
• Private financing
• Land equity
• Seller financing
• Veteran-oriented financing
• Other lender-approved structures

Lenders may require:

• Final plans
• Construction contract
• Budget
• Appraisal
• Permits
• Builder information
• Insurance
• Draw schedule
• Borrower equity
• Contingency
• Completion timeline

Financing availability, interest rates, appraisal, terms, and borrower approval are determined by the lender.

Preconstruction

Before construction begins, the project team may complete:

• Permit issuance
• Construction contracts
• Financing
• Insurance
• Utility arrangements
• Material selections
• Long-lead orders
• Site logistics
• Construction schedule
• Inspection planning
• Communication procedures
• Change-order procedures
• Storm preparation planning

Clear preconstruction decisions help reduce delays after work starts.

Site Preparation

Site work may include:

• Demolition
• Clearing
• Tree removal
• Erosion controls
• Earthwork
• Fill placement
• Compaction
• Building-pad preparation
• Temporary drainage
• Utility installation
• Driveway preparation
• Construction access

Unexpected soil, groundwater, environmental, or drainage conditions may require additional work.

Foundation and Structure

Construction then advances through:

• Foundation preparation
• Underground plumbing
• Reinforcement
• Concrete placement
• Wall construction
• Framing
• Structural connections
• Roof framing
• Sheathing
• Required inspections

Resilience-related structural components should be documented before they are concealed when practical.

Roof and Building Envelope

The roof and exterior envelope may include:

• Roof sheathing
• Enhanced attachment
• Sealed roof deck
• Underlayment
• Roof covering
• Flashing
• Exterior walls
• Weather barriers
• Windows
• Exterior doors
• Garage doors
• Sealants
• Soffits
• Drainage components

Installation quality is critical to the intended performance of these systems.

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Systems

The home’s major systems are installed and coordinated with:

• Structural framing
• Insulation
• Interior layouts
• Roof penetrations
• Utility rooms
• Backup power
• Equipment access
• Drainage
• Controls
• Testing requirements

Trade conflicts should be resolved before systems are covered by drywall or finishes.

Interior and Exterior Completion

Completion work may include:

• Insulation
• Drywall
• Cabinetry
• Flooring
• Painting
• Fixtures
• Appliances
• Lighting
• Driveway
• Walkways
• Landscaping
• Exterior lighting
• Generator
• Battery systems
• Final drainage
• Outdoor living areas

Buyer or owner selections must be made according to project deadlines to avoid construction delays.

Construction Oversight

Latitude 98 may coordinate:

• Progress meetings
• Budget tracking
• Schedule monitoring
• Contractor communication
• Design questions
• Submittals
• Product substitutions
• Inspections
• Testing
• Change orders
• Construction documentation
• Punch-list work
• Permit closeout

The contractor remains responsible for construction means, methods, sequencing, trade supervision, safety, and performance under the construction contract.

Construction Updates

Depending on the project agreement, homeowner updates may include:

• Construction milestones
• Site photographs
• Selection deadlines
• Budget changes
• Schedule updates
  • Inspection status
• Product substitutions
• Required decisions
• Upcoming work

Completion dates remain estimates until all construction, inspections, utilities, and closeout requirements are completed.

Change Management

Changes requested after plans, pricing, permits, or construction begin may affect:

• Cost
• Schedule
• Engineering
• Permits
• Materials
• Financing
• Inspections
• Warranties

Changes should be documented and approved before the revised work begins when required.

Some changes may no longer be practical after construction reaches a certain stage.

Inspections and Testing

Potential inspections and testing may include:

• Soil compaction
• Foundations
• Structural framing
• Masonry
• Roof attachment
• Windows and doors
• Mechanical systems
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing systems
• Insulation
• Energy testing
• Generator operation
• Transfer-switch operation
• Battery systems
• Drainage
• Final building inspection

Required inspection scope depends on the design, jurisdiction, permits, and selected systems.

Final Walkthrough

Before turnover, the homeowner and project team may review:

• Interior finishes
• Doors and windows
• Fixtures
• Appliances
• Mechanical systems
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing
• Generator
• Backup systems
• Exterior finishes
• Drainage
• Landscaping
• Required documentation

Incomplete or corrective items are documented on the project punch list.

Project Closeout

Closeout may include:

• Final inspections
• Certificate of occupancy
• Permit closeout
• Contractor affidavits
• Lien releases
• Warranties
• Product information
• Operations manuals
• Approved plans
• Inspection records
• Testing reports
• Final survey
• Elevation certificate
• Utility activation
• Financial reconciliation

Organised closeout records support future maintenance, insurance, financing, warranty claims, and resale.

Homeowner Orientation

Homeowner orientation may include:

• Electrical panels
• Critical-load circuits
• Generator operation
• Transfer switch
• Battery system
• Solar controls
• HVAC
• Dehumidification
• Water shutoffs
• Leak detection
• Garage doors
• Security systems
• Maintenance requirements
• Storm-preparation procedures
• Warranty contacts

Homeowners should test and understand these systems before hurricane season.

Long-Term Maintenance

The resilience of the home depends on continued inspection and maintenance.

Recommended responsibilities may include:

• Roof inspection
• Window and door inspection
• Sealant replacement
• Drainage cleaning
• Gutter maintenance
• Generator servicing
• Battery testing
• HVAC maintenance
• Dehumidifier maintenance
• Surge-protection review
• Water-sensor testing
• Termite inspection
• Exterior coating maintenance
• Tree management
• Warranty tracking

A home that is not maintained may lose some of the performance intended by its original design.

Build an Accessible Hurricane Home

Homeowners may incorporate accessibility and ageing-in-place features such as:

• Step-free entrances
• Wider doors
• Wider hallways
• First-floor living
• Accessible bathrooms
• Roll-in showers
• Reinforced grab-bar locations
• Accessible kitchens
• Improved lighting
• Smart controls
• Backup power for medical equipment
• Accessible outdoor areas

These features are generally easier and more cost-effective to incorporate during initial design.

Build a Multigenerational Hurricane Home

Multigenerational homes may include:

• Secondary suites
• Private entrances
• Ground-floor bedrooms
• Kitchenettes
• Separate living spaces
• Accessible bathrooms
• Flexible caregiver areas
• Additional laundry
• Expanded backup power
• Greater storage

The design should balance household connection with privacy and independence.

Build a Hangar Home

Hurricane Homes may be adapted for aviation properties and airpark communities.

Potential features may include:

• Attached or detached aircraft hangar
• Taxiway access
• Large hangar doors
• Fire-rated separation
• Aviation workshop
• Pilot office
• Aircraft battery charging
• Compressed air
• Backup power
• Oversized vehicle garage
• Aviation storage
• Specialized security

Hangar-home projects require airport access rights, aviation approvals, operational reviews, specialised engineering, and fire-safety coordination.

Build a Hurricane Home Community

Landowners, investors, municipalities, employers, and housing partners may work with Latitude 98 to evaluate multiple-home developments.

Potential projects may include:

• Single-family neighborhoods
• Cottage communities
• Townhomes
• Build-to-rent developments
• Workforce housing
• Mixed-income housing
• Veteran housing
• Senior housing
• Aviation communities

Community projects require coordinated land development, infrastructure, entitlements, financing, home designs, construction phasing, sales or leasing, and long-term management.

Work With Latitude 98

Latitude 98 welcomes Hurricane Home opportunities from:

• Homeowners
• Homebuyers
• Landowners
• Families
• Investors
• Municipalities
• Housing authorities
• Nonprofit organizations
• Employers
• Veteran organizations
• Aviation-property owners
• Community development partners
• Lenders

Whether the project begins with a lot, a floor plan, a development site, or an idea, Latitude 98 can evaluate the opportunity and establish the next practical steps.

Start Your Hurricane Home Project

Suggested consultation form fields:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Preferred contact method
• Do you currently own land?
• Property address
• Preferred county or area
• Desired home size
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms
• One or two stories
• Garage requirements
• Hangar requirements
• Accessibility needs
• Architectural style
• Target construction budget
• Desired completion timeframe
• Backup-power priorities
• Energy priorities
• Additional project information
• Property document or survey upload

Important Project Notice

Submitting a property or project does not create a construction, brokerage, agency, fiduciary, partnership, or contractual relationship.

Latitude 98 must first evaluate:

• Property suitability
• Project scope
• Available professional capacity
• Development feasibility
• Construction budget
• Financing
• Schedule
• Required approvals
• Contractor availability
• Strategic fit

No construction cost, completion date, permit, financing approval, appraised value, insurance availability, energy savings, tax benefit, storm performance, or project acceptance is guaranteed.

Serving Orlando and Central Florida

Latitude 98 evaluates Hurricane Home projects throughout:

• Orange County
• Seminole County
• Lake County
• Osceola County
• Volusia County
• Polk County

Selected custom, estate, aviation-residential, community-housing, and speciality projects may also be considered elsewhere in Florida.

Build With Greater Confidence

A Hurricane Home begins with more than a floor plan.

It begins with understanding the property, identifying vulnerabilities, establishing priorities, coordinating qualified professionals, and carrying the approved plan through construction and long-term ownership.

Hurricane Homes by Latitude 98 are created for homeowners who want modern design, practical resilience, efficient systems, and a more deliberate approach to building in Florida.