Construction Solutions, Inc. (CSI) is now conducting Milestone Inspections in accordance with Florida Senate Bill 4D / FL Law 553.899. CSI has conducted thousands of similar inspections for condominium associations throughout our nearly 30 year history.
What is a milestone inspection?
It is an inspection of the building’s structural integrity and includes inspection of the load-bearing walls and other structural elements designed to provide support and stability for the overall structure.
Who needs a milestone inspection?
All condominiums and cooperative buildings in the state of Florida that are three or more stories in height, when the building reaches a certain age, based on the issued certificate of occupancy, are required to have milestone inspections as follows:
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- 30 years of age and every 10 years thereafter, or
- 25 years of age and every 10 years thereafter if the building is located within three miles of a coastline.
If a milestone inspection is required and the building’s certificate of occupancy was issued on or before July 1, 1992, the building’s initial milestone inspection shall be performed before December 31, 2024.
What is the purpose of the milestone inspection?
The purpose of the milestone inspection is to determine if evidence of substantial structural deterioration (meaning structural distress that negatively affects a building’s general structural condition and integrity) can be identified.
Requirement of Phase 1 Inspection:
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- Must be completed by December 31st, 2024.
- Licensed engineer or architect must perform the inspection.
- Visual examination of buildings, including structural components.
- Summary of material findings and recommendations.
- Must be submitted within 180 days of written notice from the local enforcement agency.
- If Phase 2 is required, further explanation to follow.
If your condominium association falls under the requirements of this new law, reach out to CSI Design at info@csidesign.com and we will provide you with a proposal to inspect your property in accordance with these new requirements.
Now Taking Reservations Now For Phase 1 Milestone Inspections
Brief overview of FL Law 553.899
A milestone inspections consists of two phases, with a possible Structural Integrity Reserve Study:
(a) For phase one of the milestone inspection, a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state shall perform a visual examination of habitable and nonhabitable areas of a building, including the major structural components of a building, and provide a qualitative assessment of the structural conditions of the building. If the architect or engineer finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration to any building components under visual examination, phase two of the inspection, as provided in paragraph (b), is not required. An architect or engineer who completes a phase one milestone inspection shall prepare and submit an inspection report.
(b) A 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 in order 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 shall prepare and submit an inspection report.
(c) “Structural integrity reserve study” means a study of the reserve funds required for future major repairs and replacement of the common areas based on a visual inspection of the common areas. A structural integrity reserve study may be performed by any person qualified to perform such study. However, the visual inspection portion of the structural integrity reserve study must be performed by an engineer licensed under chapter 471 or an architect licensed under chapter 481. At a minimum, a structural integrity reserve study must identify the common areas being visually inspected, state the estimated remaining useful life and the estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense of the common areas being visually inspected, and provide a recommended annual reserve amount that achieves the estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense of each common area being visually inspected by the end of the estimated remaining useful life of each common area.