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    • What engineers look for during the Florida new condo inspection process
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    What engineers look for during the Florida new condo inspection process

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    COCOA BEACH — For Jim Emory, tougher state laws on condominium inspections and repairs have made his inspection business even busier.

    Emory is president and chief engineer of Keystone Engineering & Consultingwhich has offices in two prominent Atlantic Coast communities – Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach. His company performs condo inspections along Florida’s east coast, from St. Augustine in Fort Pierce, and does between 200 and 300 inspections a year.

    He says the state’s new inspection regulations have had “a big impact on our industry,” as have demands from the insurance industry for more proactive inspections and structural repairs at condominium complexes in the wake of the 2021 collapse of Champlain South Towers in Surfside which killed 98 people.

    “They make it a prerequisite for (insurance) coverage,” Emory said, referring to required inspections and repairs.

    What is involved in the process and what is the result of the inspection can vary, depending on the complex.

    “Condos are like people,” Emory said. “They have different personalities.”

    How the Florida condo inspection process works: There are two phases

    State regulations now require inspections in apartments that are at least 30 years old and are at least three stories high.

    For those condominiums, the initial “Phase One” inspections must be completed by the end of 2024. Buildings with structural problems must then be subject to a more comprehensive “Phase Two” structural inspection report.

    Phase two reports usually involve a visual, acoustic and hands-on examination of the apartment building, overseen by a licensed professional engineer or architect.

    Emory said a first-phase inspection by his company would typically cost $50 to $100 per housing unit, and a second-phase inspection costs $100 to $150 per unit. He has a minimum fee of $3,500 for smaller apartment complexes.

    Generally, the inspection of a coastal condominium focuses on existing and potential future concrete damage that occurs due to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel. This electrochemical phenomenon is normally the driving force in coastal building maintenance and repair efforts.

    As a result of actual and potential concrete damage, affected building components—such as floor finishes, safety railings, glass doors, windows, and storm shutters—are also evaluated.

    “It’s a bit of a process,” Emory said. “People want to check that their building was safe.”

    Apartment balconies are a big concern for inspections

    Emory said apartment balconies are typically a key area of ​​focus, with particular concern about structural deterioration over time, especially for buildings near the ocean. Balcony problems can also lead to problems with railings, sliding glass doors and shutters.

    A big problem is “keeping the salt water out of the concrete,” Emory said.

    “As part of that inspection, we provide budgets — what we think the cost of the repairs will be — and then the state requests that those budgets be funded through the condominium reserve process,” Emory said.

    Initial inspection reports must be completed by the end of this year, and repairs must be budgeted for by the end of 2025.

    For condominiums that want the service, Keystone also handles post-construction projects for necessary structural repairs. Emory said his company has overseen about 600 apartment restoration projects over the past 20 years.

    Emory said his company has added a consulting team of roofing specialists to its staff because insurance companies are more often asking for roof repairs or replacements to get coverage.

    How do new condo inspection guidelines affect property insurance costs in Florida?

    An additional financial burden for many apartments is the rising cost of property insurance. Emory said many condos have seen a 50 percent to 100 percent increase in insurance premiums in recent years, related to both the fallout from new inspection regulations and hurricane-related claims in Florida and elsewhere in the last years.

    “They’re seeing tremendous increases in premiums,” Emory said.

    Often, necessary condominium repairs require a special assessment that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars per condo owner, Emory said.

    Usually, “the initial reaction is negative to the numbers,” Emory said.

    play

    The surfside condo had water spilled into the garage minutes before the collapse

    Water was seen pouring into the basement garage at Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla., minutes before it partially collapsed on June 24.

    USA TODAY, Storyful

    But in general, condominiums are ultimately convinced that doing repair work on time is the way to go.

    “It’s really about education,” Emory said. “It’s an investment in the life of the building — being proactive by making structural repairs as soon as possible.”

    Once repair work begins, Emory said, the attention of condo boards and other residents often shifts to aesthetics.

    “It’s all about the money until you start the job,” Emory said. “Then they start getting engaged and they start saying, ‘Let’s do more.’ “

    Emory said another impact of state laws on inspections is that some companies have difficulty hiring engineers with extensive experience in condo inspections, which he said is a specialized skill. As a result, Emory said, some companies’ apartment inspection reports fall short of the mark in terms of comprehensiveness.

    Florida lawmaker: ‘Financial hardship’ worth it to make needed repairs

    Rep. Florida Tyler SiroisR-Merritt Island, who chairs the House Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee, supports increased state oversight of condominium inspections.

    “These inspections are necessary,” said Sirois, whose House district includes the Brevard County beach communities of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach. “It’s important to remember what this legislation led to — a structural collapse that killed 98 people. Champlain Towers was built in 1981. I understand that cracks and defective concrete were identified but not repaired in time and the building collapsed. These inspections are supposed to be proactive.”

    Sirois said he was aware that the costs associated with apartment repairs had “created financial difficulties for many people”.

    “Backup requirements and structural integrity review are expensive for many condominium owners, especially those on fixed incomes,” Sirois said. “The safety of residents depends on associations having the funds to complete inspections and make structural repairs. I know this is a challenge for older buildings that have high maintenance costs.”

    Sirois said he is open to considering “ways in which we can mitigate the financial hardship that the new requirements impose on apartment owners.”

    “There may be ways to ease fully funded reserve requirements for some buildings understood to be less prone to structural problems,” Sirois said. “However, when you’re talking about a building that’s 30 or 40 years old, these inspections are a life safety issue. We have to find the right balance.”

    Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at [email protected]on X to @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

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