The State of Florida and Collier County now require mandatory structural inspections for condominium and cooperative association buildings three stories or taller. Applicable buildings must have a Milestone Inspection once the building reaches a certain age, then every 10 years thereafter. These Milestone Inspections are important for consumer safety and protection and could have an impact on assessments collected from unit owners in an affected building.

A “Milestone Inspection” is a structural inspection of a building, including an inspection of load-bearing walls and the primary structural members and primary structural systems, performed by a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in Florida. The purpose of the inspection is to attest to the safety and adequacy of the structural components of the building and, to the extent reasonably possible, to determine the general structural condition of the building as it affects the safety of such building, including a determination of any necessary maintenance, repair, or replacement of any structural component of the building. If the architect or engineer finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration to any building components under visual examination, phase two of the inspection is not required. The inspection may be as extensive or as limited as necessary to fully assess areas of structural distress to confirm that the building is structurally sound and safe for its intended use and to recommend a program for fully assessing and repairing distressed and damaged portions of the building.

After the completion of a phase one or phase two Milestone Inspection, the architect or engineer must submit a sealed copy of the inspection report with a separate summary of, at minimum, the material findings and recommendations in the inspection report to the condominium association or cooperative association, and to the building official of the local government which has jurisdiction. The Collier County Building Official is authorized to issue an extension of up to 60 days to submit the Milestone Inspection report or to obtain any necessary permits. If the milestone inspection reports determine that a building needs repairs, a permit must be applied for within 150 days from the date of submittal of the Phase Two reports.

For more information, visit the Collier County website at www.colliercountyfl.gov or
email MilestoneInspections@colliercountyfl.gov.