40- and 50-Year Inspections: What You Need to Know

Florida’s milestone inspections law, passed in the wake of the Champlain Towers collapse in 2021, goes into effect this year. The law requires that all buildings that are three stories high or taller conduct an inspection when the building turns 30 years old and conduct a reinspection every 10 years thereafter for recertification.

The Inspection Process

The first step is to hire a qualified, licensed engineer or architect to conduct a visual inspection of the association’s buildings. The inspector will evaluate the building’s structural, electrical, and, in some cases, lighting systems to ensure that they are still functioning as they should and that the building is safe for the residents. Some of the specific structural systems included in the inspection include the foundation, interior and exterior walls, framing, roofing, windows, and doors. For the electrical inspection, some of the areas reviewed will include the grounding for electrical wires, the presence of GFI outlets, and ensuring that the smoke alarms function. The inspector will create a report detailing their findings. If all your building’s systems pass the inspection, you can submit a copy of the inspection report to the county and you are in the clear for the next ten years.

If some elements of your building do not pass the inspection, the inspector will list which areas did not pass and why. In this situation, you will move into Phase 2 of the inspection, in which you need to hire a structural or electrical specialist to conduct a more detailed inspection. After the inspection, the specialist will create a report that describes and provides photos of the problem and lists the specific steps that the association must take to remediate it. Once you have a copy of this remediation plan, you will need to apply for a permit to make the necessary corrections. After your contractor completes the corrections, you will contact the inspector to be re-inspected. You will submit the new inspection report to the county and your process is complete.

Enforcement Mechanisms

The 40- or 50- year inspection is very serious. If there are items in need of repair and the board of directors does not act on it, the county could deem the building unsafe and require that residents evacuate until the repairs are complete. Moreover, the county could also issue stiff penalties and fines if the repairs are not made in a timely manner.

Ultimately, though, requiring that condo associations keep their buildings structurally safe and sound can save countless lives and prevent a repeat of the horrific destruction the world witnessed in the Champlain Towers building collapse.

The property management experts at CCM are available to help you manage the 40- or 50- year inspection process, as well as your everyday property management needs. We offer a turnkey service, handling everything from vendor management to responding to resident queries. Call us to learn how we can help your condo association run more smoothly.

Consolidated Community Management (CCM) is a full-service property management company specializing in condominium and homeowner association management in Broward and southern Palm Beach Counties.  We are committed to working together with community Boards of Directors to develop management plans tailored to the unique requirements of each community and their residents.

CCM provides a quality of service that is unique to our industry and consistently delivers a distinct competitive advantage.  Our concentrated, extensive local presence and knowledge of community associations results in lasting partnerships and superior service.  We have built our industry reputation on employing the best in the business and assigning only a limited number of properties to each Property Manager Team.

Our team at Consolidated Community Management provides expert property management services at competitive prices.  Contact us today by calling (954) 718-9903 or clicking on ccmfla.com.