A Complete Guide to the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection
The Fort Lauderdale Building Inspection program is a process in which buildings that reach an age of 25-30 years require recertification. The inspection program examines the structural integrity and electrical system of a building and ensures that it is safe for occupancy.
By reading this article, you will have a deeper understanding of the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection program and what it entails. You can also visit our Broward Safety Inspection page for additional information on the requirements and process.
Some buildings in Fort Lauderdale do not require the inspection as explained below. We are full service Fort Lauderdale Building Inspectors and can help you with all types of building inspections. Whether you need a 25 year inspection or a Structural Integrity reserve study in Fort Lauderdale our team of structural engineers are qualified to help you overcome the hurdle of passing your next building safety inspection in Fort Lauderdale.
What are the changes to the Fort Lauderdale Building Inspection?
After the collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, there were many changes put into place to ensure that building owners and associations were taking preventive measures to preserve the structural integrity of buildings across Florida. Although Florida’s new condo inspection laws did affect many other counties across Florida, Fort Lauderdale already had a similar program in place.
Many other counties across Florida did not have a Building Safety Inspection program in place and are now required to complete these inspections. However, South Florida already had an inspection program in place before the tragedy in Surfside. It was commonly referred to as the 40-year inspection.
The major change that occurred with the new Florida building and condo inspection was the time when they must be completed. According to the new law Buildings in Fort Lauderdale are now required to complete the first inspection after the building reaches 25 years of age.
Due to the strict requirements that were in place before the new changes in the law, Fort Lauderdale does not require any additional inspections besides the ones that were previously included in the 40-year building inspection. Instead of waiting 40 years now, you are required to complete the inspection after 25 years. The 10-year milestone inspection remains the same as before and is required regardless of the last inspection completed.
Although the 2022 Florida Statutes (including 2022C, 2022D, 2022A, and 2023B) state that the first inspection should be completed after 25 years if it is less than 3 miles from the coast Broward requires ALL BUILDINGS that meet the requirements of the Building Safety Inspection program to complete it after 25 years regardless of the distance from the coast.
We have included the contact information for the Fort Lauderdale building department page below for your convenience. We recommend contacting them if you have any additional questions that were not answered in this article.
FORT LAUDERDALE BUILDING DEPARTMENT
521 NE 4th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
IS THE 40 year inspection still required in FOrt Lauderdale?
As stated above the 40-year inspection requirements are still the same. The only difference is that it must be completed after 25 years instead of 40 years. So building owners and property managers in Fort Lauderdale are still required to complete the same Structural and Electrical Inspection that has always been included in the 40-year inspection. A key point to remember if you have already completed Fort Lauderdale’s 40 year inspection is that you will need to complete an additional inspection moving forward.
The Structural Integrity Reserve Study is a new requirement for condominium owners in Fort Lauderdale. Also known as the SIRS Study, it is a visual inspection of your buildings current condition. The Building Inspector conducting the Fort Lauderdale SIRS Study will then provide you with an estimated cost to repair and maintain your building.
What buildings in Fort Lauderdale are required to complete the Building safety Inspection program?
According to Florida’s new 2022 Statutes (including 2022C, 2022D, 2022A, and 2023B), all buildings that are 3 stories or higher that are over 3500 square feet are required to complete the Building Safety Inspection program.
Are any building's in Fort Lauderdale exempt from the Building Safety Inspection program?
Yes, some buildings are exempt from the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection program such as:
- 1 to 2-story family dwellings
- State and government buildings
- Schools under the jurisdiction of Broward County School Board
- Buildings located on indigenous tribe reservations
- All buildings under 3500 square feet
WhICH components are inspected in the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection program?
The Fort Lauderdale Building Inspection requires two components of a Building to be inspected. The first is a structural inspection that looks for signs of spalling or degradation of the structural components of a building. The second is an electrical inspection that checks for any issues in the building’s electrical system. We are experienced Fort Lauderdale building inspectors in Fort Lauderdale who have extensive experience in the Building inspection process and what it entails.
What type of Building Inspector is qualified to perform the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection?
A regular home inspector is not qualified to perform a Building Safety Inspection program unless they are also an engineer or architect. The inspection must be signed and sealed by a certified professional engineer or architect in Florida. Before hiring an inspector in Fort Lauderdale it is imperative to check whether the inspection will be signed and sealed by an engineer or architect. As a Fort Lauderdale building inspector, our company can handle all of the Building inspections you need to be completed.
What to do once your Fort Lauderdale Building inspection is complete?
After you have a signed and sealed inspection report you must submit the full report to your building department, within the allocated time given to you by the letter. In Fort Lauderdale, this is usually 90 days. Failure to submit the report can cause your building to receive fines and potentially have to perform another inspection.
Final tips on the Fort Lauderdale Building Safety Inspection program
Overall there have not been many changes to the Fort Lauderdale Building Inspection program besides the age at which the initial inspection must be performed on your building. Before hiring a Fort Lauderdale Building Inspector make sure they are qualified to complete the inspection.
More than likely you will receive a letter in the mail from the Fort Lauderdale building department when your building is up for inspection but you should always give them a call when your building reaches 25 years old just in case there was an error with your mailing address and you did not receive the letter. Whether you received the letter or not you may start to receive fines from the Building department if your inspection is not completed in time.
Although we try to update our customers on the latest news on Building Inspections in Fort Lauderdale, the laws are always changing and we always recommend checking with the Fort Lauderdale Building department for up-to-date information on the requirements and procedures.
