About Miami’s 40 Year Recertification Program
Miami’s 40 year Building Safety Inspection Program calls for electrical and structural safety inspections for any building 40 years of age or older. After the first 40 year inspection, additional inspections are required every 10 years thereafter. This applies to every building property with the exception of two-family dwellings, U.S. Government/State of Florida buildings, buildings under 3,500 square feet, and properties built on Indian Reservations. These building structures are exempt from the program.
Why Is a 40 Year Recertification Required in Miami?
There have been instances of building structures collapsing in South Florida, for example, the most recent one Building Collapses In Surfside where a condo building in Surfside Miami Florida collapsed, most likely due to structural failures, that could have been detected through a detailed inspection. Having this program in effect helps prevent failures like this one which can cost the lives of many.
Need a 40 year recertification in Miami? Just Ask G. Batista! 30+ years experienced engineer. (954) 434-2053.
What is the 40 Year Recertification Process in Miami?
Building owners are responsible to hire a state licensed engineer to perform a safety inspection. This inspection will identify any issues that need to be corrected in the form of a report. Owners or property managers are required to provide this to the City Building Department within 90 days of the 40 year anniversary date or the 10 year anniversary dates thereafter. If repairs are necessary, the owner has 180 days from the date of the building inspection report, to correct the deficiencies. Repairs that are not considered life threatening may have more time to be completed. Once the building is deemed structurally safe, a safety inspection report will be provided to the building owner. Each local government has the authority to charge a fee to review these inspection reports. In Fort Lauderdale, for example, the fee is $300.
How Do I Know If I need a 40 Year Recertification in Miami?
Notices of 40 year recertication requirements are generally sent to building properties via mail, however, it is the building owner’s responsibility to know when the building turns 40 years of age and every 10 years thereafter. Even if a Notice of Required Inspection is not received by your local compliance department of your county or city, you should acquire the 40 year recertification. Failure to submit this report can result in a Civil Violation Notice which will be reported to the Unsafe Structures Unit. This can result in the building needed to be vacated and in extreme cases it may require for the building to be demolished. Building owners may also be liable for a maximum fine of over $10,000 plus enforcement costs that were incurred by the building and safety departments. Bottom line, no news does not mean good news when it comes to building safety. Be proactive. If you are not aware of the age of your building, contact your local city who can guide you to find out this information. You can also do a property search at the Miami Dade County Property Appraiser website by clicking here.
Need a 40 year recertification in Miami? Just Ask G. Batista! 30+ years experienced engineer. (954) 434-2053.
What Is The Normal Scope Of a 40 Year Inspection in Miami?
A 40 Year Inspection has 2 components, electrical and structural.
The scope of a structural inspection usually includes:
- Structure Condition (General alignment of building, deflection, contraction, expansion, settlement, surface conditions, checks for spalling, cracks,
- moisture penetration)
- Load-bearing walls Inspection
- Floor and roof Systems
- Steel Framing
- Concrete Framing
- Windows
- Wood Framing
- The scope of an electrical inspection report includes:
- Meter and electrical room clearance
- Electrical panels
- Grounding
- Service conductors and cables
- Feeder conductors
- Illumination
- Fire Alarm
- Smoke Detectors
- Parking Area Lighting
- Mechanical Equipment Wiring
What is Included in the 40 Year Inspection Report?
The 40 year recertification inspection report includes a statement that describes if a building is structurally safe or unsafe. If unsafe conditions were found it will provide qualifications that are needed before it can be deemed safe. For a detailed look at Miami’s Building Safety Inspection Program, click here.
It is also suggested that each report includes a statement regarding the limits of liability. Miami-Dade County provides this paragraph which may be used:
“ As a routine matter, in order to avoid possible misunderstanding, nothing in this report should be construed directly or indirectly as a guarantee for any portion of the structure. To the best of my knowledge and ability, this report represents an accurate appraisal of the present condition of the building based upon careful evaluation of observed conditions, to the extent reasonably possible.”
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