Milestone Inspections

A licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in Florida for the purposes of attesting to the life safety and adequacy of the structural components of the building and, to the extent reasonably possible, determining the general structural condition of the building as it affects the safety of the building, including a determination of any necessary maintenance, repair, or replacement of any structural component of the building.

Associated General Kinetics LLC, an affiliate of Arpin Associates, LLC, has engineers able to meet all milestone inspection needs and can answer your questions about this new legislation. Contact us at 954-772-5345. See the Disclosure Requirements for Milestone Inspections and Structural Integrity Documentation here.

A milestone inspection consists of two phases. For phase one, a licensed architect or engineer performs a visual examination of a building, including its major structural components, and provides a qualitative assessment of the building’s structural condition. If no signs of substantial structural deterioration are found, then a phase two inspection is not required. “Substantial structural deterioration” means substantial structural distress that negatively affects a building’s general structural condition and integrity. It does not include surface imperfections (cracks, sagging, signs of leakage, peeling of finishes, etc.) unless they are a sign of substantial structural deterioration.

On June 23, 2025, Governor Desantis signed HB 913 into law. Except as otherwise provided in the act, effective July 1, 2025, new disclosure requirements are created for certain professional licensees when intending to bid to perform services related to milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies, as follows:

Milestone Inspections

• Architects and engineers who bid to perform milestone inspections are now required to disclose in writing to a condominium or cooperative association their intent to bid on services related to any maintenance, repair, or replacement which may be recommended by the milestone inspection.
• Any design professional (architect, engineer, interior designer, surveyor, or geologist geologist) or licensed contractor who submits a bid to a condominium or cooperative association to perform any services recommended by a milestone inspection must disclose in writing to the association that they or their relative has an interest, directly or indirectly, in the firm or entity that performed the milestone inspection.
  • If the required disclosure is not provided, then the contract between the association and the design professional or contractor is voidable and the condominium or cooperative association can terminate the contract upon written notice to the design professional or contractor.
• Failing to provide required disclosures may constitute grounds for disciplinary action against a licensee under the applicable professional practice act.

Structural Integrity Reserve Studies

• Any design professional or licensed contractor who bids to perform structural integrity reserve studies is now required to disclose in writing to a condominium or cooperative association his or her intent to bid on any services related to any maintenance, repair, or replacement, that may be recommended by the structural integrity reserve study.
• Any design professional or licensed contractor who submits a bid to a condominium or cooperative association to perform services recommended by a structural integrity reserve study must disclose in writing that they or their relative has an interest, directly or indirectly, in the firm or entity that performed the structural integrity reserve study.
  • If the required disclosure is not provided, then the contract between the association and the design professional or contractor is voidable and the condominium or cooperative association can terminate the contract upon written notice to the design professional or contractor.
• Failing to provide required disclosures may constitute grounds for disciplinary action against a licensee under the applicable professional practice act.

To see the full statutory changes click here.

• Inspection of 30 Condominium buildings
• MILESTONE Structural report per S.627.706
• 2 site trips per building
• No per-incident fee
• Overview of the fire dept. life/health/safety codes NFPA 101 included
• Extra folios $186.00 ea
• Extra trips if necessary $124.00
• Board meetings included
• Inspection is done on-site with the building manager present
• Available for a preliminary meeting to determine and access SIRS (structural integrity reserve study) feasibility
• Separate milestone reports for each building
• Phase II inspection will be done if necessary

What should you expect to get after an inspection is completed?

Upon completion of a phase one or phase two milestone inspection, the architect or engineer must submit a sealed copy of the inspection report to the condominium association, along with a separate summary of material findings and recommendations. A copy must also be furnished to the appropriate local building authority. The inspection report must include all the information required by the statute. Condominium associations must then distribute the inspector’s summary to each unit owner and post a copy in a conspicuous place on the condominium property.

The inspection report must, at a minimum, meet all the following criteria:

• Bear the seal and signature, or the electronic signature, of the licensed engineer or architect who performed the inspection.
• Indicate the manner and type of inspection forming the basis for the inspection report.
• Identify any substantial structural deterioration, within a reasonable professional probability based on the scope of the inspection, describe the extent of such deterioration, and identify any recommended repairs for such deterioration.
• State whether unsafe or dangerous conditions, as those terms are defined in the Florida Building Code, were observed.
• Recommend any remedial or preventive repair for any items that are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration.
• Identify and describe any items requiring further inspection.
• The association must distribute a copy of the inspector-prepared summary of the inspection to all owners.
• If structural repairs are necessary, a phase 2 inspection must be done.

A phase two milestone inspection must be performed if any substantial structural deterioration is identified during phase one. 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. The phase two inspection may involve destructive testing at the inspector’s direction, though preference must be given to locations that are the least disruptive and most easily repairable.