Condo Milestone Inspections:

What are Condo milestone structural inspections?

Condo milestone inspections are required for every residential and commercial building in Florida that is three stories or higher.

Condo milestone inspections

If you own any such structure or are a member of the building association, you’re legally required to conduct timely inspections. For that purpose, the laws require you to hire a structural engineer like EMA Structural Forensic Engineers licensed in Florida.

The engineer/s will visually assess all areas of your building and analyze its structural components for safety. Once the inspection is complete, they will provide a structural assessment report detailing their findings, professional opinions, and recommendations.

It is possible that your building has structural problems, which will be detailed in the report, along with ways you can fix them.

The structural building inspector can even refer construction contractors to conduct the impending repairs on your property.

There you have it: milestone structural inspections simplified.

New changes to Florida Condo milestone inspections?

The State now requires condos and residential cooperative (co-op) association buildings three stories or taller to have structural inspections called “milestone inspections” once they reach 30 years of age and every 10 years after that.

Your building may need milestone inspections if it is…

Three stories or higher, as determined by the Florida Building Code, AND
Owned (partially or fully) by a condominium association or cooperative association as a residential condominium under Chapter 718 or a residential cooperative under Chapter 719

Timing

Buildings that require milestone inspections will need to be inspected once they reach 30 years of age and every 10 years after that.

The timing for the initial inspection is as follows:

If your building reaches 30 years of age before July 1, 2022, the building’s initial milestone inspection must be performed before December 31, 2024.
If your building reaches 30 years of age on or after July 1, 2022, and before December 31, 2024, the building’s initial milestone inspection must be performed before December 31, 2025.
If your building reaches 30 years of age on or after December 31, 2024, it will need to be inspected by December 31 of the year in which it reaches 30 years of age.

Building age is based on the date the certificate of occupancy for the building was issued. If that is not available, other official building records may be used as evidence of the age of the building.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Condo milestone inspection?

A “milestone inspection” is a structural inspection of a building, including load-bearing walls and other elements that are designed to support the building. These inspections keep residents safe by ensuring their homes are in good structural condition. They help determine whether any of the buildings’ structural components need to be maintained, repaired, or replaced. The inspections are performed by a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in Florida.

How will I be notified that my building needs an inspection?

Local government building officials will send notices about required inspections by certified mail. They will send this notice to the condominium association or cooperative association and any owner of any portion of the building that is not owned by the condominium or cooperative association.

The condominium or cooperative association must notify the unit owners of the required milestone inspection within 14 days of receiving the written notice from building officials and provide the date that the milestone inspection must be completed. This notice may be sent to unit owners electronically (e.g. via email) or by posting on the association’s website if the unit owners consented to receive notices electronically.

How does a Condo milestone inspection work?

During phase one of the milestone inspection, a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in Florida will visually examine the habitable and non-habitable areas of a building, including its major structural components, and provide an assessment of the structural condition of the building. If the architect or engineer finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration, phase two of the inspection is not required. To complete phase one, the licensed engineer or architect who performed the inspection must submit the inspection report to the appropriate local government agency.

Phase two of the milestone inspection must be performed if any substantial structural deterioration is identified during phase one. A phase two inspection may involve destructive or nondestructive testing at the inspector’s direction. The inspection may be as extensive or as limited as necessary to fully assess areas of structural distress to confirm that the building is structurally sound and safe for its intended use and to recommend a program for fully assessing and repairing distressed and damaged portions of the building. When determining testing locations, the inspector must give preference to locations that are the least disruptive and most easily repairable while still being representative of the structure. An inspector who completes a phase two milestone inspection will prepare and submit an inspection report.

What counts as a “story”?

As defined by the Florida Building Code, a “story” is the portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the next floor or roof above it. A story is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.

According to the Florida Building Code (Building), a basement counts as a story. A garage or parking area beneath the living space also counts as a story. However, a mezzanine – an intermediate level between the floor and ceiling of any story – does not contribute to the number of stories as it is considered a portion of the story below.

What counts as “substantial structural deterioration”?

“Substantial structural deterioration” means substantial structural distress or substantial structural weakness that negatively affects a building’s general structural condition and integrity. The term does not include surface imperfections such as cracks, distortion, sagging, deflections, misalignment, signs of leakage, or peeling of finishes unless the licensed engineer or architect performing the phase one or phase two inspection determines that such surface imperfections are a sign of substantial structural deterioration.

Does “substantial structural deterioration” mean the same thing as FEMA’s “substantial damage”?

No.

“Substantial damage” (as defined by FEMA) means damage of any origin sustained by a building or structure whereby the cost of restoring the building or structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 49% of the market value of the building or structure before the damage occurred.

If I am in a flood hazard area, would FEMA’s “49% rule” apply if repairs are needed?

Yes, if the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the “49% rule” would apply. This means repairs cannot exceed 49% of the building’s market value unless the entire structure is brought into full compliance with current flood regulations. For more information, contact Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services.

What does the inspection report need to include?

Once a phase one or phase two milestone inspection is completed, the architect or engineer who performed the inspection must submit a sealed copy of the inspection report with the following:

A separate summary of, at minimum, the material findings and recommendations in the inspection report to the condominium association or cooperative association, to any other owner of any portion of the building that is not owned by the condominium or cooperative association, and to the building official of the appropriate local government.
The inspection report must, at a minimum:
- Indicate the manner and type of inspection
- Identify any substantial structural deterioration, describe how severe the deterioration is, and identify any recommended repairs.
- State whether unsafe or dangerous conditions, as defined in the Florida Building Code, were observed.
- Recommend any remedial or preventive repair for any items that are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration.
- Identify and describe any items requiring further inspection.

By December 31, 2024, the Florida Building Commission will adopt rules to establish a building safety program for implementing milestone inspections within the Florida Building Code (FBC). As a part of this process, the inspection report format and documentation will be made more standardized.

Like the proposed changes to 40-year structural recertification, the new condo milestone inspection rules change your building’s structural evaluation timeline.

Here are the new milestone inspection timelines for various buildings in the state:

For all buildings three stories or higher

You should get a milestone inspection when your multistoried building with three or more floors turns 30.

By what time should the inspection be completed, you may ask?

Per the new laws, your building/house structural inspection must be completed by December 31st of your property’s 30th year.

Further, you must conduct a structural engineer inspection every ten years after the initial 30th-year assessment. If you get a milestone inspection in 2025, you must get another review in 2035, followed by one in 2045, and so on.

Milestone structural inspections for buildings near the coastline

The milestone structural inspection rules are slightly different if your building or condominium is near the seashore.

So, what’s the difference in the inspection scheme?

The rules say that the initial milestone inspection shall be conducted when the building turns 25 if your structure is built within three miles of the coastline. You must review and get a structural assessment by December 31st of the 25th year instead of the 30th year.

However, the ten-year milestone structural inspections rule is the same for you as the non-coastal buildings. So you’ve got to get similar building structure inspections done in the 35th, 45th, 55th year, and so forth.

But why exactly is the rule different for coastal buildings?

You see, the structures along the seashore are exposed to an intense coastal climate and are prone to damage. As hurricanes become more frequent and severe, coastal buildings take their toll.

So, it is necessary to ensure that these buildings have a sound structure and are safe for inhabitants.

For buildings with occupancy certificates dating July 1st, 1992, or before

If the certificate of occupancy for your building was issued on July 1st, 1992, or before that, you’ve till December 31st, 2024, to get milestone structural inspections.

The date on which the certificate of occupancy was issued determines the exact age of your building. If the occupancy certificate is unavailable, the occupancy date in any local official record will decide your building’s age.

#3. How do milestone structural inspections work?

And if you’re wondering what the two-phase inspection is all about, here’s what it includes:

Phase one of the milestone inspection

The first phase is about the structural engineer’s visual inspection of your property. Herein, the inspector assesses both the habitable and uninhabitable areas of your building.

The very purpose of the first phase in milestone structural inspections is to examine the qualitative aspect of the structure. So, the engineer tries to determine whether the system is sound and safe for the building occupants.

Phase two of the milestone inspection

The second phase of a structural engineer inspection will only be conducted if the inspector/s finds signs of significant damage during phase one.

Also, the phase two inspection can even involve destructive testing, meaning the inspectors may tear down part of the structure.

They do so to understand how much your building’s structure is damaged thoroughly.

However, you can rest easy as the wear and tear is the least disruptive and can be easily repaired.

What happens after the milestone structural inspections?

Once both phases of milestone structural inspections are concluded, the engineer will prepare a post-inspection report. The details of the review and its findings are documented in this report, along with a summary of the same.

Next, the engineer will provide a sealed inspection report to the building owner, the condominium or cooperative association, and the local building safety official.

Since the report includes detailed suggestions on structural repairs, you can follow them to carry out the necessary fixes.

What are your post-inspection responsibilities?

As a member of the building association, you must provide a copy of the inspection report to every condominium or cooperative unit owner.

Also, you must put a copy of the report summary at a noticeable spot on the property. The idea is that each occupant of the property should be aware of the building’s structural conditions.

The new milestone structural inspections law continues the previous penal provisions of not complying with the report’s recommendations. That means the local building officials can even penalize you if you don’t carry out timely structural restorations as suggested by the structural engineer inspection report.

Condo Milestone Inspections