On May 26, 2022, changes to Florida Statute 553.899 were introduced. Structural integrity assessments, known as Milestone Inspections, for condominiums and cooperative buildings 25 or 30 years old, with three or more stories became mandatory, as well as the Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS).
Building Recertification
The 25 Year Milestone phase 1 Inspection is required and mandatory for buildings three stories or higher, located within three miles of the coastline, built on or after 1998, to identify potential vulnerabilities before an accident or collapse can occur.
Building Recertification
The 30 Year Inland Milestone phase 1 required and mandatory for interior buildings except single-family homes, duplexes, and buildings with 10 occupants or less and 2,000 square feet or less, which do not qualify for the recertification process.
Interval
When a building undergoes a 25 Year Recertification or a 30 Year Recertification, the same inspection will be performed every 10 years. So the 10 Year Recertification will apply to those buildings that have passed any of the previous inspections once a decade.
SIRS
A study of the reserve funds required for future structural repairs and replacements is mandatory every 10 years for Condo and Cooperative buildings that are 3 stories or higher.
In Milestone 1 the building will be visually inspected to determine the general structural and electrical conditions. All details of the structure should be checked: foundations, roofs, masonry load-bearing walls, floor and roof systems, steel and concrete framing systems, windows and doors, structural glazing, timber framing, building facades, loading, electrical services, branch circuits, ductwork. If deemed necessary, a Milestone 2 inspection will be conducted in which ductwork, emergency lighting and infrared thermography should be provided. LIM Construction will submit a written Recertification Report to the Building Official, prepared by a Florida registered professional engineer.
A Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) is a comprehensive, non-invasive inspection of a building's critical infrastructure. It evaluates the safety of the structure and provides an estimate for the cost of potential repairs or replacements. Florida law mandates that certain components must be included in this study and adequate reserve funding is allocated for their maintenance.
The following items are essential for inclusion in the SIRS:
The report should offer an in-depth analysis of both the legally required elements and additional community-specific reserve components. This all-encompassing approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the total cost of ownership for the association. Associations are responsible for appropriately allocating existing reserve funds between structural (funding-required) and non-structural components. This comprehensive approach aids associations in confidently navigating their annual budgeting process.
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