The price per acre is the easy part. What quietly makes or breaks a Florida commercial deal is what's under and around the dirt. Run this checklist during due diligence — before you close, not after.
Two parcels listed at the same price can carry wildly different development budgets once you account for soils, drainage, and utilities. The goal of due diligence is to turn unknowns into line items before the money is committed.
The due-diligence checklist
1. Boundary & topographic survey
Confirm the legal boundary, easements, and elevations. Topography drives earthwork (cut/fill) and how stormwater will be handled — the two biggest site-cost swings.
2. Geotechnical (soils) report
Borings reveal bearing capacity, water table, organics/muck, and whether you'll need to over-excavate or import fill. This single report prevents the most expensive surprises.
3. Wetlands & environmental
Check for jurisdictional wetlands, protected species, and any Phase I environmental concerns. Wetlands can shrink your usable acreage and trigger mitigation.
4. Stormwater & water management district
Most Florida sites require engineered stormwater permitting through SWFWMD or SFWMD. Confirm how much land the required pond/retention will consume — it reduces buildable area and adds cost.
5. Utility availability
Verify water, sewer (or septic feasibility), power capacity, and telecom at the property line. "Available nearby" and "available at the lot" are very different budgets.
6. Access & easements
Confirm legal access, driveway/curb-cut permitting, and any cross-access or utility easements that limit where you can build or pave.
7. Zoning, setbacks & use
Confirm the zoning allows your intended use (e.g., outdoor storage, industrial, retail), and check setbacks, buffers, height, and parking ratios that shape the site plan.
8. Impact & permitting fees
Transportation, utility, and other impact fees vary by jurisdiction and can be substantial. Get them into the pro forma early.
9. Floodplain
Check the FEMA flood zone. Floodplain can dictate fill, finished-floor elevation, and insurance — material to both cost and design.
Turn the checklist into a number
Once the survey, soils, and stormwater picture are clear, the site-work budget becomes real. Because we self-perform clearing, grading, utilities, paving, and stormwater, we can hand you one accountable number and a realistic schedule rather than a stack of subcontractor estimates.
FAQ
What's the most overlooked item?
Stormwater. The required retention/detention often consumes more land and budget than buyers expect.
Do I need a geotech report before closing?
Ideally yes, or at least a due-diligence period that allows one. Soils drive earthwork cost more than almost anything else.
Can you assess a site before I've ordered engineering?
Yes — a walkthrough gives an experienced read on grade, drainage, and access that informs whether to proceed and what to budget.