Milestone Inspections Broward County

The new requirements for milestone inspections, as outlined in the new state law (SB-4D).

MILESTONE INSPECTION BROWARD COUNTY OF BUILDINGS

A. For the purpose of these guidelines, Milestone Inspection in Broward County shall be construed to mean the requirement for specific
inspection of existing buildings and structures and furnishing the Building Official and Owner with a written report
of such inspection as prescribed herein.
B. Inspection procedures shall conform, to the minimum inspection procedural guidelines as issued by the Board of
Rules and Appeals titled as “General Considerations & Guidelines for Building Safety Inspections” and included as
part of this policy.
1. This inspection is for the sole purpose of identifying structural and electrical deficiencies of the building or
structure that pose an immediate threat to life safety. This inspection is not to determine if the condition
of an existing building complies with the current edition of the Florida Building Code or the National
Electrical Code.
2. Such inspection shall be for the purpose of determining the structural & electrical condition of the building
or structure to the extent reasonably possible, of any part, material or assembly of a building or structure
which affects the safety of such building or structure, and/or which supports any dead load, live load, or
wind load, and the general condition of its electrical systems pursuant to the applicable Codes.
3. The inspecting Professional shall have a right of entry into all areas he/she deems necessary to comply with
the program.
4. The Building Official shall ensure that the owner(s) (or their duly authorized representative(s)) of all
buildings requiring inspection under these guidelines file the necessary documentation to confirm
compliance with the guidelines set forth herein.

Milestone Inspections Broward County

C. All buildings shall be inspected in the manner described herein, where such buildings or structures have been in
existence for thirty (30) years or longer, as determined by the Building Official in accordance with Florida Statutes
Section 553.899, who shall at such time issue a Notice of Required Milestone Inspection Broward County  to the building owner.
1. Exempt from this program are the following:
U.S. Government buildings, State of Florida buildings, buildings built on Indian Reservations, School
Buildings under the jurisdiction of the Broward County School Board, One and Two-Family Dwellings,
Fee Simple Townhouses as defined in the Florida Building Code, and minor structures defined as buildings
or structures in any occupancy group having a gross floor area less than three thousand five hundred (3,500)
square feet.

D. All buildings that are a Condominium or Cooperative, and are three (3) stories or more in height, and are located
within three (3) miles of the coastline, shall be inspected in the manner described herein, where such buildings have
been in existence for twenty-five (25) years or longer, as determined by the Building Official in accordance with
Florida Statutes Section 553.899, who shall at such time issue a Notice of Required Inspection to the building owner.
E. Subsequent Building Safety Inspections shall be required at ten (10) year intervals from the date of the 30th or 25th
anniversary (as applicable ) of the existence of buildings or structures regardless of when the inspection report
for same is finalized or filed.
F. For any building or structure that has to perform a “milestone inspections Broward County,” as provided under section 553.899, Florida
Statutes, such building or structure is required to undergo inspection in the manner described herein when it has
reached a Building Age where it is required to undergo a “milestone inspection” and such inspection shall serve as
compliance with any “milestone inspection” requirements under section 553.899, Florida Statutes.

H. Reporting Procedures and Qualifications of Inspectors:
1. The owner of a building or structure subject to Building Safety Inspection shall furnish, or cause to be
furnished, within ninety (90) days of the Notice of Required Building Safety Inspections or Milestone Inspections Broward County, a written report
the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals Building Safety Inspection Certification Form to the
Building Official, prepared by a Florida Licensed Professional Engineer or Florida Registered Architect.

Broward County Milestone Inspections

Under the revised version of the rules, buildings that are three stories or taller can now undergo a “milestone inspection” after being occupied for 30 years, unless local officials deem that there are “local circumstances, including environmental conditions such as proximity to salt water,” that would require a milestone inspection every 25 years if they were within three miles of the coastline.

A key part of the law entitles buyers of certain buildings to a copy of the milestone inspections Broward County of the building when they enter into a contract, as well as a structural-integrity-reserve study, which notes the amount of funds needed to be reserved for future major repairs and replacement of the condominium property, with certain exceptions granted.

“In older buildings there might be some price depression and more people selling, but overall the market has been pretty strong,”. “In general, newer construction is doing well depending on the price point you are looking at.”

In light of the uncertainty in some areas or buildings, there are things buyers and sellers can do to prepare and work around it, Lichtenstein noted. It’s especially important for a seller to know as much about the building’s financials as possible and to disclose that information upfront to the buyer.

Overall, there are still options for buyers looking to get into a condo.