Who is Sabal Luxury Builder?

Sabal Luxury Builder is a private-mandate luxury design-build firm founded by Pascal Nicolai in 2009. Over 15 years the firm has delivered more than $400M of residential portfolio value across South Florida — custom ground-up residences, renovations, and selective spec developments in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County.

Where does Sabal build?

Sabal operates across South Florida. The portfolio concentrates on Miami Beach (Venetian Islands, Hibiscus Island, Palm Island, La Gorce, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles), Miami mainland (Brickell, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Belle Meade, Key Biscayne), Fort Lauderdale, and across Palm Beach County — Town of Palm Beach, Manalapan, Highland Beach, Boca Raton, Gulf Stream, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens.

What type of residences does Sabal build?

Sabal delivers custom single-family residences and selective spec developments in the $5M to $80M+ range. Work includes waterfront estates on Miami Beach private islands, ocean-to-Intracoastal residences on the Palm Beach County barrier islands, and country-club residences inland. The firm builds across architectural vocabularies — Mediterranean Revival, modernist, Bermuda, Regency, and contemporary — collaborating with the architects each project demands.

How does Sabal price a mandate?

On mandates above $4M, Sabal typically structures contracts as cost-plus with a guaranteed maximum price. The owner sees every subcontractor bid, change order, and invoice. Sabal's fee is fixed at contract signing; underruns against the GMP accrue to the owner, overruns are absorbed by Sabal. Lump-sum and design-build models are also available when they fit the program.

How long does a Sabal mandate take from contract to keys?

From signed architect contract to certificate of occupancy, a 6,000 to 10,000 sq ft custom residence in South Florida runs 28 to 36 months — roughly 9 to 14 months of design and permitting, followed by 16 to 22 months of construction. Timelines vary by municipality: ARCOM-reviewed projects in the Town of Palm Beach can extend by 6 to 9 months, and CCCL oceanfront permits add their own parallel track.

What makes Sabal different from other South Florida builders?

Sabal operates as both developer and builder, which changes the risk profile for the owner. Every mandate runs through the same principal — Pascal Nicolai — from land acquisition to keys, with one accountable point of contact. The cost-plus-GMP model aligns incentives with the owner. And the firm's 15-year track record of delivering across every major South Florida submarket — Miami Beach private islands, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County — is the differentiator when the mandate is too important to fail.

About

A single point of control for extraordinary residences.

Founded in 2009, Sabal Luxury Builder is the construction arm of Sabal Development — a fully integrated design, development, and build firm working exclusively on ultra-luxury residences across South Florida.

The founder

Pascal Nicolai

Founder & CEO

French-born developer with more than 30 years of residential experience in the United States and Europe. In the mid-2010s, Pascal shifted his focus from investment to ground-up luxury development, founding Sabal Development — complemented by its construction arm, Sabal Luxury Builder. Today he personally oversees every mandate, acting as the primary point of contact for each private client.

Leadership

Lionel Nicolai
Sales Manager
Lionel brings creative innovation to the role. With extensive yacht sales experience, he has deep knowledge of the luxury market and over 15 years consulting clients on home construction. He leads sales strategy and ensures competitive pricing with premium building materials on every mandate.

What we stand for

Precision
Every detail is engineered, scheduled, and costed with the same rigor as a financial investment.
Control
One team, one contract, one accountable principal. No fragmented handoffs between architect, developer, and contractor.
Discretion
Private mandates stay private. NDAs, off-market sourcing, and protected client identities are standard practice.

Credentials

AIA Fort Lauderdale Chapter — Best Contractor Award
Americas Property Award 2024-2025 — 1300 Brickell Bay Drive
SFBJ Structures Awards 2021 — Best Custom Single-Family Home
SFBJ Structures Awards 2022 — Finalist, Best Custom Single-Family Home

Frequently asked

Working with Sabal.

Who is Sabal Luxury Builder?: Sabal Luxury Builder is a private-mandate luxury design-build firm founded by Pascal Nicolai in 2009. Over 15 years the firm has delivered more than $400M of residential portfolio value across South Florida — custom ground-up residences, renovations, and selective spec developments in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County.
Where does Sabal build?: Sabal operates across South Florida. The portfolio concentrates on Miami Beach (Venetian Islands, Hibiscus Island, Palm Island, La Gorce, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles), Miami mainland (Brickell, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Belle Meade, Key Biscayne), Fort Lauderdale, and across Palm Beach County — Town of Palm Beach, Manalapan, Highland Beach, Boca Raton, Gulf Stream, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens.
What type of residences does Sabal build?: Sabal delivers custom single-family residences and selective spec developments in the $5M to $80M+ range. Work includes waterfront estates on Miami Beach private islands, ocean-to-Intracoastal residences on the Palm Beach County barrier islands, and country-club residences inland. The firm builds across architectural vocabularies — Mediterranean Revival, modernist, Bermuda, Regency, and contemporary — collaborating with the architects each project demands.
How does Sabal price a mandate?: On mandates above $4M, Sabal typically structures contracts as cost-plus with a guaranteed maximum price. The owner sees every subcontractor bid, change order, and invoice. Sabal's fee is fixed at contract signing; underruns against the GMP accrue to the owner, overruns are absorbed by Sabal. Lump-sum and design-build models are also available when they fit the program.
How long does a Sabal mandate take from contract to keys?: From signed architect contract to certificate of occupancy, a 6,000 to 10,000 sq ft custom residence in South Florida runs 28 to 36 months — roughly 9 to 14 months of design and permitting, followed by 16 to 22 months of construction. Timelines vary by municipality: ARCOM-reviewed projects in the Town of Palm Beach can extend by 6 to 9 months, and CCCL oceanfront permits add their own parallel track.
What makes Sabal different from other South Florida builders?: Sabal operates as both developer and builder, which changes the risk profile for the owner. Every mandate runs through the same principal — Pascal Nicolai — from land acquisition to keys, with one accountable point of contact. The cost-plus-GMP model aligns incentives with the owner. And the firm's 15-year track record of delivering across every major South Florida submarket — Miami Beach private islands, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County — is the differentiator when the mandate is too important to fail.

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