Pompano Beach Building Inspections: Full Guide
The Palm Beach Building Safety Inspection is part of Florida’s new Building inspection program. It was created after the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside. Although Broward County already had a Building Inspection program which was referred to as the 40-year inspection. However, the new inspection requirements have changed the due date for a building’s first inspection. There are other changes such as the Pompano Beach Structural Integrity Reserve Study also known as the SIRS Study.
In this article, we will go over the new requirements for building inspections in Pompano Beach as well as the new changes and how they will affect you. This a comprehensive Pompano Beach Building Inspection guide for building owners, homeowners associations, and property managers to get more informed to make informed decisions for future inspections. to take a closer look at ensuring the safety and security of their structures. These new condominium laws in Florida do not only affect condos but also apply to all buildings in Pompano Beach regardless of whether they are occupied by people or are storage buildings. Our Pompano Building Inspectors are well-versed in all of the new changes to the Pompano Building Safety Inspection and will help explain the process and procedures required to pass these inspections.
What are the new Condo Inspection laws in Pompano Beach
Although condominiums in Pompano Beach are the most crucial to getting up to date with these inspections, anyone with a Building over 3,500 square feet will be required to complete these inspections. These new inspection laws are part of a Pompano Beach public safety program which will help Building Owners keep their building in a safe condition for residents and the surrounding areas. Pompano Beach already had a 40-year inspection program but there are new requirements that have been implemented.
The first major change to the Pompano Beach Building inspection program is your building’s initial inspection date. Under the 40-year inspection program, the first inspection was required once your building reached 40 years of age. Under the new Pompano Beach Building Safety Inspection program this has changed to 25 years. So moving forward you will need to get your building inspected after it reaches 25 years of age. What hasn’t changed is the frequency of the subsequent inspections. Pompano Beach Building Owners and Property Management companies will continue subsequent inspections every 10 years after the initial inspection.
Under these new Broward County inspection guidelines, any building that is over 3 stories high and is 3,500 square feet or more will be required to complete the recertification every 25 years. According to the new Florida Building Inspection laws, a 30-year inspection and a 25-year inspection depend on the location of your building, however, Broward County is requiring ALL buildings subject to a Building Safety Inspection must complete the inspection after 25 years regardless of their proximity from the coast.
In addition to the new requirements for the Building Safety Inspection, there is an additional inspection program required which is referred to as the SIRS Study. The SIRS study is short for Structural Integrity Reserve Study. This is an additional inspection requirement that analyzes the current condition of the Building and provides a projected cost of repairing and maintaining the Building so that Building Owners and property managers can have sufficient funds in reserve when the repairs are required.
Does my building in Pompano Beach require the Building Safety Inspection?
If your building in Pompano Beach is over 3500 square feet and is 3 stories or more then you are required to complete the inspection. This includes any building or structure that stores, houses or maintains any materials, equipment, or support features that are required for the operation of the primary structure. For example, seawalls if attached to or supporting any structure, elevated decks, docks, parking garages, and guardrails are all subject to the Palm Beach Building Safety Inspection program.
The Pompano Beach Building Department will send out a Notice of Required Inspection by certified mail to the Building Owner or Property Management company representing the Building Owner. However, if you do not receive the letter it is your responsibility to complete these inspections in time. Not completing the Building Inspection in time can result in penalties which start from $500 a day. It is important to be proactive and contact the Pompano Building Department if you are not sure when the inspection might be due. Although we try to help our customers by adding the latest information regarding these Pompano Building Inspections you should always refer back to the Pompano Beach Building Department for the most current information. We have listed their contact info below for your convenience. You can also see the official Broward Building Safety Inspection Program (BORA Policy 05-05) page.
Pompano beach BUILDING DEPARTMENT
What if I already completed the Pompano Beach 40 year inspection?
If you own or manage a building that is over 40 years old then you have probably completed a 40-year inspection already. If your building has already completed a 40-year inspection and you are following the subsequent inspection schedule every 10 years you can proceed with the same inspection schedule. One extra step that you will have to complete moving forward is the Structural Integrity Reserve Study aka the SIRS study. Besides the SIRS Study, the new inspection requirements are unchanged. The Pompano Beach Building 40-year Inspection program already covered all of the new requirements and is more comprehensive then what is required in the new program.
What buildings in Pompano are exempt from the Building Safety Inspection?
Some buildings in Pompano are not required to complete the Building Safety Inspection such as:
- Any buildings under 3500 square feet
- State of Florida buildings
- US government buildings
- 1 to 2-story family dwellings
- Schools under the jurisdiction of Miami-Dade County School Board
- Buildings built on indigenous tribe reservations
Who can perform a Building Safety Inspection in Pompano
Not just any building inspector can complete these Palm Beach-mandated building inspections. For the Pompano Beach building department to approve your inspection it must be completed by a licensed engineer or architect. Ideally you would want a structural engineer to complete these inspections because they are specialized in Building’s structural components and understand the innerworkings of a buildings structure. Regardless of which professional you choose they will provide you with a signed and sealed inspection report which you can then sumbit to the Palm Beach Building department for approval. We have completed thousands of building inspections and have a 100 percent success rate when it comes to these inspections.
What elements of a building are inspected during the 25 year inspection?
Two main elements are inspected during the Palm Beach Building safety inspection. The structural elements and the electrical elements. For the structure, an engineer will verify the foundation, roofs, load-bearing walls, flooring, roof, steel framing, concrete framing, windows, and doors. These elements will be inspected to ensure they are structurally sound and safe for building occupants.
The next element which is inspected is the building’s electrical system. In the electrical portion of the Building Safety Inspection, an engineer will look for any issues in your electrical panel and wiring to ensure there are no issues that could pose any injury to its occupants.
What is the next step once i completed the Pompano Beach building inspection?
Once an Engineer has inspected the structural and Electrical components of your building they will provide you with a signed and sealed report outlining the findings. You are then required to submit this report within the required time frame to avoid any late fees or penalties. If the engineer did not find any issues that need to be addressed then you can you are good to go for another 10 years. However, if there were issues found in the report you are still required to submit this report to the Pompano Beach department.
In turn, they will provide you with an extension so that you may pull the required permits for the repairs and start the repair process. Once the repairs are completed the same engineer can look over the repair plans and approve them so you can finalize your inspection. You need to submit the inspection regardless of whether your report shows any structural problems to avoid any fines. If you do not submit your report in time the Pompano Beach Building Department may even make you go through the inspection process again.
Closing thought on the Pompano Beach Building Safety Inspection program
The Pompano Beach Building Inspection program although it may be a time-consuming and costly inspection will ensure your Building is safe for its residents. It is a crucial public safety program that will help prevent disasters such as the one that occurred at the Champlain Towers in Surfside. It also mitigates Building Owners’ liability and helps ensure that any damages your building has are addressed early preventing you from having to complete major repairs. Building residents also have the peace of mind of knowing that the building in which they live has been inspected and is free from any structural issues.
