Earlier this week, we took a deep dive into Florida’s May 2026 residential construction permit activity, examining where new home construction was strongest, which regions carried the highest values, and how the statewide market held steady with 6,382 new permits—almost identical to April’s total. Today, we are continuing that analysis with a closer look at the home builders behind those numbers. Because while permit volume tells us where the action is, builder performance tells us who is driving it, and in May, a few familiar names once again rose to the top.

Statewide Leaders: The Big Three

Across the five major regions—Tampa, Southwest, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Southeast—the statewide leaderboard was dominated by three national giants:

• D.R. Horton – 765 permits
• Lennar Homes – 724 permits
• Pulte Homes – 612 permits

These three builders alone accounted for approximately one‑third of all new residential permits statewide for the month.

A few notable dynamics emerged:

• D.R. Horton was the only builder to appear in the top five in all five regions, demonstrating remarkable geographic reach and consistency.
• Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton each claimed the #1 spot in two regions, showing strong regional dominance.
• Lennar Homes took the #1 position in Tampa, the state’s highest‑volume region for the month.

In other words, the “big three” did more than simply participate in the market—they shaped it.

Below is a closer look at the top builders in each region, along with their permit totals, total construction values, and average values. The listed rankings reflect the builders with the highest number of new permits on record with HBW for May 2026:

Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida delivered one of the strongest value profiles statewide, and its builder leaderboard reflects a competitive, high‑output market.

1. Pulte Homes – 233 permits | $46.2M | Avg. $198,394
2. D.R. Horton – 198 permits | $39.3M | Avg. $198,646
3. Lennar Homes – 192 permits | $40.9M | Avg. $212,872
4. Taylor Morrison – 106 permits | $23.8M | Avg. $224,980
5. Neal Communities of SW FL – 52 permits | $18.0M | Avg. $345,315

Insight: The top three builders were tightly clustered in volume, with Pulte edging out the competition. Neal Communities posted the highest average value, reflecting its strong presence in higher‑end product segments.

Tampa

Tampa led the state in total permits, and its builder rankings highlight a mix of national and regional players.

1. Lennar Homes – 298 permits | $101.3M | Avg. $339,894
2. D.R. Horton – 274 permits | $80.1M | Avg. $292,262
3. The Villages of Lake Sumter – 111 permits | $19.4M | Avg. $175,000
4. Pulte Homes – 90 permits | $42.6M | Avg. $473,483
5. Homes by West Bay – 58 permits | $33.9M | Avg. $585,166

Insight: Lennar took the top spot here, and Tampa also showcased some of the highest average values among top‑five builders—particularly Homes by West Bay, which posted an impressive $585K average.

Orlando

Orlando continued its trend of strong values and steady demand.

1. Pulte Homes – 162 permits | $58.3M | Avg. $360,100
2. Lennar Homes – 128 permits | $45.9M | Avg. $358,548
3. D.R. Horton – 88 permits | $28.8M | Avg. $327,351
4. Taylor Morrison – 60 permits | $24.6M | Avg. $409,439
5. KB Homes – 57 permits | $19.1M | Avg. $335,438

Insight: Pulte led the region, and Taylor Morrison posted the highest average value among the top five. Orlando’s builder landscape remains diverse, with strong representation from both national and mid‑tier builders.

Southeast

Southeast Florida had the highest average construction value statewide, and its builder rankings reflect a blend of volume and luxury.

1. D.R. Horton – 94 permits | $25.5M | Avg. $271,670
2. Mattamy Homes – 89 permits | $26.9M | Avg. $301,754
3. GL Building Corporation – 83 permits | $53.5M | Avg. $644,514
4. Lennar Homes – 64 permits | $23.1M | Avg. $361,212
5. Minto Communities – 48 permits | $11.5M | Avg. $240,591

Additional Note: Pulte Homes also contributed 44 permits in this region, reinforcing its statewide strength.

Insight: GL Building Corporation stood out with a massive $644K average value—one of the highest among any top‑five builder statewide for the month.

Jacksonville

Jacksonville delivered one of the most balanced builder landscapes, with strong showings from both national and regional firms.

1. D.R. Horton – 111 permits | $25.8M | Avg. $232,564
2. Dream Finders Construction – 90 permits | $24.2M | Avg. $269,356
3. Pulte Homes – 83 permits | $25.6M | Avg. $307,877
4. Meritage Homes – 67 permits | $13.9M | Avg. $207,909
5. David Weekley Homes – 54 permits | $19.2M | Avg. $355,616

Additional Note: Lennar Homes recorded 42 permits in the Jacksonville region, placing it just outside the top five at #6.

Insight: D.R. Horton led the region, but Pulte and David Weekley posted notably higher average values, reflecting a mix of product types and market segments.

What the Builder Rankings Tell Us

Florida’s residential construction last month continued to be shaped largely by the “big three” builders—D.R. Horton, Lennar, and Pulte—whose combined volume and broad geographic reach kept them at the forefront of the market. Even so, each builder’s regional strengths varied, with Pulte performing especially well in Orlando and Southwest Florida, Lennar taking the lead in Tampa, and D.R. Horton dominating both the Southeast and Jacksonville regions. At the same time, several high‑value builders stood out for their premium product offerings, including Homes by West Bay, GL Building Corporation, and Neal Communities, all of which posted some of the highest average values for the month out of their regional top five and signaled strong demand for upper‑tier residential construction. And while the national giants continue to command significant market share, local and regional firms such as Dream Finders, Minto, Neal Communities, and Homes by West Bay remain highly competitive, reinforcing the depth and diversity of Florida builders.

This follow‑up analysis rounds out the picture of the residential construction market in Florida during the month of May 2026. The statewide permit totals showed stability, the regional data revealed shifting dynamics, and now the builder rankings highlight the companies driving those trends. For construction professionals, this data is both a leaderboard and a strategic tool. Whether you are benchmarking performance, evaluating competition, or scouting expansion opportunities, understanding who is building (and where) is essential.

And as always, while monthly data offers a valuable snapshot, the deeper insights come from tracking these patterns over time through HBW’s archives, quarterly reports, and annual summaries.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.