Florida Builders Face Rising Costs From Labor Gaps

Developers in South Florida should expect higher labor and land costs, plus possible schedule delays tied to workforce shortages.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Construction

Wide view of a concrete slab foundation on a sandy Florida lot beside stacked lumber and an idle excavator under bright midday sun. — South Florida homebuilders say land scarcity and immigration-related worker shortages are pushing up construction costs, with GL Homes raising prices in its priciest developments. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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South Florida homebuilders say land scarcity and immigration raids are pushing up home construction costs, according to executives who spoke at The Real Deal's Miami Forum. The comments matter for contractors and developers across the state's construction sector, where labor availability and site access now shape pricing.

Why it matters

Builders report that high labor and construction costs are squeezing margins, and that worker absences tied to immigration enforcement are slowing projects. GL Homes has raised prices in its most expensive South Florida developments, citing its absorption of tariffs and labor increases.

Four homebuilder executives spoke on a single Miami Forum panel about development sites, labor costs, and buyer financing. The source does not provide a quantified cost increase or prior-period comparison for South Florida construction costs.

The players

GL Homes

A South Florida homebuilder that develops master-planned communities and has raised prices in its highest-end developments.

Mattamy Homes

A national homebuilder operating in Florida that is seeking new land in St. Lucie and Martin Counties.

CC Homes

A South Florida homebuilder that is offering a free Tesla to luxury home buyers as an incentive.

The details

Mattamy Homes reported frequent immigration raids over the past few months, and the company lost several weeks of work to a worker shortage. Workers have grown afraid to return to job sites after raids, which shrinks the construction workforce and delays schedules. Florida's Infill Redevelopment Act lets developers bypass certain local approvals for large and environmentally impacted sites, and GL Homes has put a handful of qualifying sites under contract since the law passed. Mattamy is also pushing for new land in St. Lucie and Martin Counties, where site scarcity compounds the cost pressure.

Over the past few months, Mattamy reported frequent immigration raids affecting its workforce.
Since the Infill Redevelopment Act's passage, GL Homes has put qualifying sites under contract.

Market Landscape

Florida's Infill Redevelopment Act gives developers a route around certain local approvals for large and environmentally impacted sites, and GL Homes has already put a handful of qualifying sites under contract. Builders are weighing that faster path against labor shortages and rising construction costs in a market where available land is scarce.

Contractors and developers working in South Florida should factor higher labor and materials costs into bids and watch for schedule slippage tied to workforce gaps. Firms that depend on immigrant labor should review staffing plans and the timing of their project commitments.

The takeaway

Operators should build workforce-shortage contingencies and cost escalation clauses into new contracts, since labor disruption is now affecting schedules as much as price. Track the pace at which Infill Act sites move from contract to permit, as it signals whether faster approvals ease land constraints.