Atlantic Design Homes has been a family-owned and operated custom homebuilder in Gainesville, FL for 40 years, with nearly 900 homes built and more than 2500 renovations completed  during that time. The company is led by Owners Lucian Kragiel, CEO, and Doug Nesbit, President, both of whom remain directly involved in day-to-day operations.

Yes, Atlantic Design Homes holds an active Certified General Contractor license (CGC-O60937) through the state of Florida. Anyone can verify a Florida contractor's license status at any time through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's website.

Atlantic Design Homes builds custom homes and handles renovations throughout Gainesville and the surrounding North Central Florida area. Local experience matters here, since permitting timelines, soil conditions, and code requirements can vary from one county to the next.

Beyond new custom home construction, Atlantic Design Homes offers whole-home and partial renovations, interior design services, and 3D home design so clients can visualize a project before construction begins. Having all of these services under one roof means the same team scopes, designs, and manages a project from first conversation to final walkthrough.

A production home is built from one of a builder's existing floor plans, often repeated throughout a development with customization limited to a predetermined set of options. A custom home is designed specifically around the buyer's lot, layout preferences, and priorities, with far more flexibility in design and materials.

Timelines vary based on the size and complexity of the design, the lot's condition, and permitting in the specific jurisdiction, but most custom homes take several months to a year or more from groundbreaking to move-in. A detailed schedule from your builder, including expected milestones, is the most reliable way to set expectations for your specific project.

Not necessarily, but it's a step worth planning for early, either by purchasing a lot before working with a builder or by working with a custom builder- Atlantic Design, that  will help you find a lot. Land is one of the most commonly overlooked differences between custom and production homes, since production homes typically come with the lot already included.

Yes, absolutely! Atlantic Design will accommodate any possible changes requested, and will begin the process immediately.

With a true custom build, the layout, room sizing, materials, and finishes are shaped around your priorities rather than chosen from a limited set of pre-set options. That flexibility is the main advantage of building custom, though it also means more decisions and more time spent in the design phase before construction begins.

Atlantic Design Homes works across a range of architectural styles, Mid-century, modern, modern farmhouse, traditional, contemporary, craftsman, modern, eclectic/transitional or whatever style you prefer.  The design process starts with your lot and priorities rather than a fixed template.

A detailed specification sheet should spell out exactly what's included — flooring, cabinetry, countertops, fixtures, and appliances — rather than relying on vague language like “standard finishes.” Atlantic Design includes every aspect of your project from start to finish.

An allowance is a dollar amount budgeted within your contract for items like tile, lighting, or plumbing fixtures, and you're responsible for any difference if your choices exceed it. Understanding how allowances are set, and how overages get approved, helps avoid budget surprises partway through the build.

Yes, since custom homes involve one-off design and engineering rather than a repeatable plan built at scale. The trade-off is a home built specifically around your lot and priorities, rather than the closest match available from a limited set of existing plans.

Atlantic Design Homes can walk you through how the construction process typically works alongside a construction loan, though financing itself is arranged through your lender. It's worth discussing financing options with a lender early, since construction loans work differently than a standard mortgage.

Yes, renovations are a core part of Atlantic Design Homes' services, alongside new custom construction, interior design, and 3D design. Having one team handle both renovations and new builds also means you can get an honest comparison of both paths if you're not sure which one fits your home.

It depends on your home's structural condition, how the renovation cost compares to building new, and whether the existing footprint can realistically accommodate what you want. A structural inspection and a detailed renovation bid are the best starting points for making that comparison with real numbers instead of assumptions.

Whole-home renovations typically involve living without a functioning kitchen for a stretch, along with dust, noise, and limited access to parts of the home during the most active phases. Planning logistics like temporary cooking arrangements and storage in advance significantly reduces day-to-day stress once construction begins.

It depends on the scope. Projects affecting only one or two rooms are often manageable while staying in the home, but renovations involving the kitchen, multiple bathrooms, or structural work are usually easier to live through if you have somewhere else to stay during the most disruptive phases.

Permit requirements depend on the scope of work — projects involving structural changes, electrical, plumbing, or significant layout changes typically require permits from the local building department, while purely cosmetic updates often don't. Your contractor should handle the permitting process and confirm what's required before work begins on your specific project.

Energy-efficient, environmentally conscious construction is part of Atlantic Design Homes' standard approach to building Atlantic Design Homes 

Received the 2000  National Builder of the Year Award by the Environmental Protection Agency for energy efficient homes.

Atlantic Design Homes partners with Pure Solar Energy for homeowners interested in adding solar to their build. The company's own operations are also covered by purchasing carbon offsets.

Atlantic Design Homes partners with We Are Neutral, a Gainesville-based environmental nonprofit that funds local carbon offset and reduction projects, including indigenous tree planting on conservation land and energy efficiency upgrades for low-income households. Supporting local, verifiable projects is a meaningfully different commitment than purchasing generic offset credits online. Any new home or renovation Atlantic Design builds  for you will leave NO CARBON FOOTPRINT!

Building for North Central Florida means accounting for long, hot, humid summers, occasional hurricane-related wind and rain, and termite pressure that's common throughout the state. That shows up in details like roof-to-wall connections, building envelope performance, moisture management around windows and doors, and required termite pretreatment before a slab is poured.

No. Impact-rated windows are required in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties) and the coastal wind-borne debris region, neither of which includes Alachua County. Some homeowners still choose impact windows here as an added layer of protection, but it isn't a code requirement inland.

The Florida Building Code requires soil treatment or another approved termite protection method before a slab is poured, along with documentation of that treatment for the homeowner. It's a standard part of new home construction throughout the state, including North Central Florida.

Coastal and South Florida construction often requires impact-rated windows and stricter wind-borne debris protections due to higher design wind speeds near the coastline. Inland areas like Gainesville still fall under Florida Building Code wind load requirements, with a continuous structural load path from roof to foundation, but at design wind speeds lower than coastal zones.

Ask about licensing and local experience, exactly what's included in the estimated price, how the builder constructs for Florida's climate, and what communication looks like during construction. Asking to see completed homes and speak with past clients rounds out a well-informed comparison between builders.

Family-owned builders tend to have fewer layers between you and the people who can actually make decisions, along with a longer-term stake in their reputation within the same community where they build. At Atlantic Design Homes, that ownership is direct: Lucian Kragiel and Doug Nesbit remain personally involved in how the company operates.

Yes, Atlantic Design Homes maintains a gallery of completed projects, including new construction, renovations, kitchens, baths, and 3D designs on their website. Seeing finished work in person, where possible, gives a clearer sense of quality than photos alone.