Guide
Most buildings that “fail” have a report that lists repairs, and what happens next has a set path to close it. A report that is never filed is the case that gets expensive.
- Engineer
- Juan Tercero, PE., M.Sc. · Florida PE 105256
Guide
There is no pass or fail on the form
A recertification or BSIP report does not grade a building. It records what was observed and states whether the building is safe for continued use as it stands, or what has to be repaired first. What owners call “failing” is usually the second case: the report lists repairs.
That report is filed anyway, and on time. Both counties ask for the report first and the repairs after it, under permit. A report held back until the repairs are done is a late report.
When the report lists repairs
Each county gives a period for the work that follows the report. The rows below are the county rules as verified; your Building Official can set a different time for your file.
- A written repair scope, so every contractor bids the same work.
- Permits for the repairs that need them, pulled by the contractor.
- Where it is asked for, a letter on whether the building can stay occupied while the work goes on.
- Reinspection of the repaired areas, then an amended report — in Broward with a completion letter — that closes the file.
- Miami-Dade — If repairs are needed: 150 days from the Notice to finish repairs that need no permit and to obtain permits for the rest. Permitted work then follows its permit, and an amended report closes the recertification.
- Broward — If repairs are needed: 180 days from the date of the report, under permit, unless the Building Official sets a different time. A reinspection, an amended report and a signed and sealed completion letter close the file.
When the report is not filed
Missing the date is the case to avoid. Miami-Dade’s published process moves a late recertification to enforcement, with penalties that can grow and a lien that can follow. Broward’s policy sends a late file to a hearing before a Special Magistrate or the Code Enforcement Board, and a building whose required repairs are not made can be declared unsafe. Each city sets its own steps and amounts.
If you are already past the date, the way out is the same as the way in: get the inspection done and the report filed, and tell the office that sent the notice that it is under way. Send us the notice and any citation first.
When the engineer finds a danger
Rarely, an inspection finds a condition that puts people or property at risk. The engineer then has a duty to report it at once, to the owner and to the Building Official, without waiting for the report. What follows for the occupants is decided by that office. Shoring, closing a balcony or a garage level, and emergency repairs are the usual first steps.
Questions
After a report that lists repairs
Do we have to fix everything before we file?
No. The report is filed first, with the repairs it lists; the repairs then follow under permit within the period your county or city allows.
Who closes the file after the repairs?
The professional who filed the original report issues the amended report. If another firm filed yours, tell us when you write and we confirm what closing it will take.
Do the repairs have to bring the building up to today’s code?
No. Repairs restore what the report found deficient; the building is judged against the code in force when it was built.
Can the repair period be extended?
The Building Official who has your file can set a different time. Ask that office before the period ends, not after it.
Keep reading
Where to go from here.
Next step
A county notice in your hand, a building that worries you or a new project — describe it and attach what you have. A phone photo of the letter is enough. You hear back from the engineer, with questions or with a written proposal.
The proposal is free. We usually reply within two hours.