[wpseo_map width=”400″ height=”200″ zoom=”2″ map_style=”roadmap” scrollable=”1″ draggable=”0″ show_route=”0″ show_state=”0″][wpseo_address hide_address=”1″ show_state=”1″ show_country=”1″ show_phone=”1″ show_phone_2=”1″ show_fax=”0″ show_email=”1″ show_logo=”0″][wpseo_opening_hours show_days=”monday,tuesday,wednesday,thursday,friday,saturday”]Florida Condominium Structural Safety Inspections
The Florida legislature recently passed a law that will require condominium boards to set aside reserve funds for repairs beginning in 2025. The law, which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May mandates that boards conduct Florida Condominium Structural Safety Inspections and reserve studies each decade to ensure they have the financial means to make necessary structural repairs.
What Does Florida Condominiums Structural Safety Inspections Law Require?
There are approximately 1.5 million condominium units in Florida that fall under the auspices of almost 28,000 associations. 912,000 of the state’s condo units are more than 30 years old and house two million residents. Unfortunately, while many of these buildings are aging throughout the state, only Miami-Dade and Broward counties had condominium recertification programs in place to address the wear, tear, and erosion that occurs over the course of time.
However, the new Florida condo law — called SB 4-D — has changed that. Now, all 67 counties in the Sunshine State are required to conduct Florida Condominium Structural Safety inspections and ensure there are finances for needed structural repairs. The legislation modifies Florida Statutes Chapters 553, 718, 719, and 720 and provides for the following:
- Milestone Structural Inspections — This type of inspection is meant to determine the integrity and adequacy of the structural components of a building that is more than three stories high. These Florida Condominiums Structural Safety inspections must be conducted by a licensed architect or engineer every ten years after a building turns 30 years old (or 25 years old for condos located within three miles of the coastline).
- Structural Integrity Reserve Study and Funding — The Structural Integrity Reserve Study is an assessment of a condo association’s reserve funds for future repairs. The study consists of a visual inspection of the condo’s common areas by a licensed architect or engineer. These studies must be completed every ten years, with the initial study being carried out by December 31, 2024. Critically, associations may no longer waive funding or underfund reserves for items that must be included in a Structural Integrity Reserve Study.
- Maintaining Reports and Studies — The Milestone Structural Inspection Report and the Structural Integrity Reserve Study must both be maintained by the Association for a period of 15 years. It is a breach of fiduciary duty for an officer or director to willfully or knowingly fail to have a Milestone Structural Inspection performed or complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study.
For buildings with a certificate of occupancy on or before July 1, 1992, the initial Milestone Structural Inspection must be performed before December 21, 2024. Importantly, the inspection comes in two phases. During the first phase, a licensed architect or engineer performs a visual examination of the habitable and uninhabitable areas of a building. If they don’t find any substantial structural deterioration, they may prepare and submit their report. But if deterioration that rises to this level is discovered, a phase two inspection must be performed involving testing that determines whether the building is structurally sound.
EMA engineers have licensed engineers in Florida with decades of experience of structural buildings design construction monitoring and inspections. Call us to discuss your inspection needs related to Florida Condominium Structural Safety Inspections throughout Florida.
Orlando: (407) 391-1908 Tampa: (813) 398-5383 Daytona: (321) 355-6052, Jacksonville: (904) 361-9877
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