Latest Hollywood Building Inspection Guide
The Hollywood building safety inspection requirements have changed. Gone are the days of 40-year inspections in Hollywood. After the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, a new Building Inspection program was implemented statewide. Luckily for Hollywood Building Owners and Property Managers the previous 40-year inspection requirements already covered many of these new requirements but there were some very important changes to the inspection laws.
In this article, we will go over the new Hollywood condo inspection laws and dive deep into all of the changes you should be aware of. The new Hollywood Building Safety Inspection Program (BISP) is very similar to the old program in its requirements but the initial inspection date was adjusted as well and a new SIRS inspection program was put into place.
These building inspections check your structures, foundation, roofs, masonry bearing walls, flooring and roof systems, steel and concrete framing systems, and windows and doors to ensure they are structurally sound and the building is safe for residents and its surroundings. The same engineer or architect can also do the electrical inspection portion, which inspects your electrical panels to make sure everything is in proper working order. Give us a call today and one of our Hollywood Building Inspectors can answer any questions you might have.
What is the new Building Safety Inspection program in Hollywood?
The new BISP inspection in Fort Lauderdale is short for the Building Safety Inspection Program. As stated previously it is a new Inspection program that encompasses most of the old 40-year inspection requirements with some changes and additional requirements. Under the new Hollywood inspection program, buildings over 3 stories tall that are 3,500 square feet or more would need to complete their first inspection after 25 years, instead of the previous 40-year inspection which was required after the building turned 40 years old.
Although some counties also have a 30-year inspection option, Broward County requires all inspections to be after 25 years. Once you have completed your first inspection then you will have to repeat the inspection process every 10 years. There is also a new SIRS program short for Structural Integrity Reserve Study which is a new type of inspection that looks at the current building condition and provides an estimated cost to repair and maintain the building. This allows Building Owners, HOAs, property managers, and building managers to be prepared for the next inspection by having sufficient funds in place for the next inspection.
Do I need an inspection for my building or structure in Hollywood?
If your building was previously required to complete the prior 40-year inspection requirements then you are required to continue with the new Building Safety Inspection program from now on. Since Broward County already had the 40-year inspection program in place since 2005 many of the requirements were already required before this new law. If your building is 3 stories or more and is 3500 square feet or more then you are required to complete a Building Inspection. You will also be required to complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) as well.
Some buildings are not required to complete these inspections which we will discuss further below. We have added the Hollywood Building department contact info for you below with a link to the section that talks about the Hollywood Building Inspection requirements. These laws are always changing so it is always best to check with them to get the latest updates. We try to keep the website as up-to-date as possible but it is always good to refer back to the Hollywood Building department website if you want more info.
Hollywood BUILDING DEPARTMENT
What if I already completed the Hollywood 40 year inspection?
If you own or manage an older building that is over 40 years of age then there is a high probability that you already completed a 40-year inspection. Well if you already passed your initial inspection and are completing these inspections every 10 years you will continue to recertify your building every 10 years. Regarding the requirements, they will be the same besides having to complete the additional Structural Integrity Reserve Study aka the SIRS study.
What buildings in Hollywood are not required to complete these Inspections?
As we mentioned earlier there are some buildings in Hollywood that are not required to complete the building safety inspection program:
- Any buildings under 3500 square feet
- Family dwellings less than 3 floors.
- State of Florida buildings
- US government buildings
- Schools under the jurisdiction of Broward County School Board
- Buildings built on indigenous tribe reservations
Who is qualified to perform a Building Safety Inspection in Hollywood?
To be eligible to complete a Building Safety Inspection in Broward you must be a licensed engineer or architect. Those are the only two professionals allowed to complete these new inspections such as the BSIP and SIRS study. These certified professionals will inspect the structural and electrical portions of your building. Although we are capable and qualified to complete both of these inspections some Building inspectors will only provide one or the other. We have a large team of engineers, contractors, building inspectors, and architects so we have lots of experience with these Hollywood inspections.
What to do once you complete your Hollywood building inspection?
Once a licensed Engineer has thoroughly inspected your building they will provide you with a signed and sealed inspection report. Whether the engineer found issues in your Building or not you are required to submit this inspection within the allocated time frame which is usually 90 days. If the engineer did not find any problems in your building then you can proceed to complete these inspections every 10 years after. If the engineer found issues in your structure during the inspection you will still need to submit the report to get an extension from the building department which is usually 120 days. This allows you time to pull the permits required and get started on the repairs.
One very important thing is that you must personally submit the full report to the Hollywood building department as soon as possible. If you miss the due date for submitting your report the county may require you to complete the inspection again or your building may be subject to penalties starting from $500 a day. This is why it is crucial to submit the report whether your building inspector identified problems in your structure or not.
Summary on the Hollywood Building Safety Inspection program
There are two inspections required in Hollywood, the Building Safety Inspection and the SIRS study. These are part of Hollywood’s public safety program and help ensure that Buildings are maintained and kept in a safe condition. Although the program may cost you money and time it provides peace of mind for building residents and also avoids any structural issues that may not be easily identified.
The collapse of Champlain Towers in Surfside was a heart-breaking event and these new inspection programs will help this from ever happening again. Building Owners will also mitigate legal risk and excessive maintenance costs that can occur if small issues are not addressed in time. Leading to excessive damage and high repair bills in the future.
