All Forum Posts by: Jeffrey Ascough

Got an email from them today about new builds in Lehigh Acres. I like new construction but all this negative feedback about Delta is a turnoff. I know first hand the permitting in Cape Coral is horrendous but what about over in Lehigh? Lee County for both but I’d imagine it’s gotta move faster. Any insight? 

I just wanted to give a little input, as my experience has not been bad.  As a disclaimer, I am early in the process, and only a single case with a single build.  It would be unfair for me to give any kind of general satisfaction/unsatisfaction because there is still a lot ahead to be determined.

A quick snapshot:
-Purchased lot in February 2022.  
-Completed permit package was submitted in June 2022. 
-Construction Permit was approved by City August 2022.
-Category 4 (Almost 5) Hurricane hit the area September 2022. 
-Lot was scraped November 2022.
-Currently in slab process with all fill dirt in place and compaction tests done January 2023.

I have put in effort to connect with people on biggerpockets who are going through the same or a similar process, so here are the positives I have found for my experience:

-The price point to this build was attractive.  The design of this build was attractive.
-Builder immediately began our permit package. (Surveys, septic design approvals, etc.)  During this time, when I inquired for updates, the builder sent me a comprehensive checklist of where we were in the process to see our progress.
-Getting the package to the city was congruent with (and a little ahead of) my expected timeframe.
-All permits were approved on first attempt.  I felt very fortunate here, as the city has definitely had its significant faults with permitting.
-We visited in December.  While in Cape Coral, we witnessed fill dirt being brought to our lot, and saw some progress in those few days we were there.
-Throughout the slab formation process, we have been sent another comprehensive checklist of where we are in the process, so we understand what is happening.
-We have experienced continued progress in the last couple weeks through our compaction tests.  
-Overall, the builder has been responsive to questions and inquiries in a 2-3 day window.
-While not immune from price escalation, there has been no indication of price escalation thus far.

A couple of other notes:
-As mentioned, we visited last month.  While this isn't Sanibel, Matlacha, or FMB, the hurricane damage was no joke.  The majority of homes in Cape Coral sustained some type of damage.  3 months after the hurricane, there were still blue tarps everywhere, debris at curbsides, fences and boat docks down, etc.  There's a lot of work for labor in the area.  There will undoubtedly be blue tarps on roofs for months and months to come.
-In speaking with investors, others have experienced some of the same issues mentioned throughout.  Long permit times (some greater than a year) and a slow process overall in Cape Coral.  Additionally, some investors with other builders have mentioned experiencing some significant price escalations. 

Do I initiate a lot of the updates/questions? Yes.  Do I, at times, wish things were faster? Yes.
Overall, I do not regret working with Delta at this point.  I continue to believe in the area and the project.  I am interested to see the timeframe of my slab being completed and how things move forward from there.

Good luck to everyone!

As an update from my end, since my concrete block walls were knocked down in Hurricane Ian, today I finally found out that new block was delivered put back up and the Tie-Beam is being formed to be poured. Delta has not charged me extra for the new block. I am optimistic about things getting moving now.