Kendall Building Inspections revisited
The Kendall Building Safety Inspection is part of the Miami-Dade public safety inspection program. The process involves an Engineer or Architect who will examine your building’s structural and electrical systems and look for any problems that could pose a threat to residents or the nearby area. In this article, we will cover all the changes to the new condo inspection laws introduced with Senate Bill 4-D.
We will also go over the new inspection process, what has changed with the previous Kendall 40-year inspection requirements, when the new inspection is required, which buildings require the new inspection, which buildings are exempt, what to do once you receive the letter from the Miami-Dade Building department, and the actions to take once your inspection is completed.
We will also give you recommendations on what to do if the building inspector finds issues in your structure and how to get these problems resolved quickly. As structural engineers, we can serve as your qualified building inspector in Kendall and handle every part of the inspection from start to finish. Our team of building inspectors is always happy to answer any questions you might have during the inspection process.
By reviewing this article on the Kendall Building Safety Inspection Program, you will have a deeper understanding of the recertification process so that you can make informed decisions when hiring a Kendall building inspector. You can click the button below to get a quote for your next building inspection in Kendall within 24 hours.
For your convenience, we have also added the contact information for the Miami-Dade County Building Department which is the county in charge of Kendall Inspections.
Kendall BUILDING DEPARTMENT
11805 SW 26th St, Miami, FL 33175
What changed with Kendall's Building recertification program?
After the collapse of Champlain Towers in Surfside, Floria’s senate quickly took action and passed Senate Bill 4-D. Senate Bill 4-D brought many changes to the existing Kendall 40-year inspection as well as added some new requirements like the Structural Integrity Reserve Study.
One of the changes to the 40-year inspection program is the name. The 40-year inspection was renamed the Building Safety Inspection Program or BISP for short. Along with the name change the initial inspection date was changed from 40 years to 30 years/25 years depending on your building location. If your building is 3 miles or less from the coast then you are required to complete the inspection after 25 years. If your building is more than 3 miles then it is due after 30 years.
The requirements remain the same besides the initial inspection date. The Kendall Building Safety Inspection is still a two-part inspection which includes the structural as well as the electrical portion. It also includes the Miami-Dade requirement of a parking lot illumination inspection along with a guard rail inspection if your building in Kendall has an attached parking lot.
The next major change to the previous 40-year inspection is the addition of the Structural Integrity Reserve Study. The SIRS Study is an additional inspection that is performed by a licensed engineer or architect. It is a visual inspection that determines the current condition of your building and gives you an estimated cost of repairing and maintaining your building. The purpose of this additional inspection is so that property owners, building managers, property managers, and homeowners associations can have the funds prepared for when these repairs will be required.
You can also view our services page or visit the Miami-Dade County inspections page for more info regarding the process and requirements.
What if I already completed The Kendall 40 year recertification?
If you own or manage an older building then there is a high probability that you have already completed the Kendall 40-year inspection. If that is the case then you can continue with the subsequent inspection schedule which is every 10 years. The 40-year recertification Kendall had in place was already very thorough and covered the new requirements and exceeded the requirements set forth by the state.
The main change you will need to implement moving forward is the new Structural Integrity Reserve Study. The SIRS Study is a new program that we discussed above geared to ensuring you have the funds available when they are required. Many building owners in Kendall were caught off guard by these inspections and they can be costly if your building is not maintained properly.
What is inspected during the Kendall Building Safety inspection?
The two elements the Kendall Building inspector will examine when they visit your property are the Structural and Electrical elements of your building. In the structural portion, the Building Inspection company will inspect several structural elements such as the foundation, load-bearing walls, steel beams, wood columns, and concrete framing systems to name a few. They will look around windows and doors for cracks or signs of concrete spalling.
In the electrical portion of the inspection, the Kendall Building Inspection company handling the inspection will look at your electrical panels and make sure they are in working order. The building inspector will also examine any exterior connections such as your electrical main panels and your electrical closet to look for any lose wires or corrosion around the electrical conduits.
How do I know if I need a recertification for my building in Kendall?
Any condominium or building in Kendall that is 3,500 square feet or more and also has 3 stories or more is required to complete the Building Safety Inspection. These new condominium laws are not just for condos they are applied to any building that meets the requirements we talked about above. If your building is more than 3 miles from the coast your first inspection will be required after 30 years.
If your building is 3 miles or less from the coast then you will be required to complete the inspection after 25 years. Most buildings in Kendall are further than 3 miles away from the coast so you will have to complete the inspection after 30 years. One key note to remember is that if your building requires the Building Safety Inspection it will also require you to complete the SIRS Study inspection as well.
What buildings in Kendall are not required to complete the Building Safety inspection?
Some of the buildings in Kendall are not required to complete these inspections. The buildings which are exempt from these requirements, include U.S. government buildings, State Buildings, Indian reservations, school buildings under the Miami-Dade county school board, one or two-family story buildings, fee-simple townhouses, and minor structures that have less than 3500 sq ft.
How to submit your Inspection report to the Miami Dade Building Deptartment?
Once you have received signed and sealed plans from the engineer or architect then you can submit the inspection report for approval by the Miami-Dade Building Department. If the building inspector that did the inspection did not find anything then you are done for another 10 years.
However, if there were issues found in the report you can submit the inspection report and the Miami Dade building department will issue you an extension so that you can get the permits required and start working on the repairs. At Askgbatista.com we have a 100% success rate with our inspections and have completed thousands of these building safety inspections across Florida.
Summary of the Kendall Building inspections program
If you own a condominum or a warehouse in Kendall that stands at three stories or more and hits the 25 year or 30 year mark, it is time to complete your Kendall Building Safety Inspection. This new inspection which was updated to include the requirements found in Senate Bill 4-D includes and exceeds all of the requirements. Along with the changes to the Kendall Building Inspection program the addition of the SIRS Study is an important change.
Make sure to keep your mailing address up to date because the Miami-Dade Building Department will send you a certified letter when you are getting close to your inspection date. Overall it is a good idea to keep your building up to date and maintained in order to avoid costly repairs when it comes time to getting your building inspected.
As structural engineers we are one of the best building inspectors to hire because we have a comprehensive understanding of your buildings structural components which is the key element to these inspections. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions that were not answered in this article.
