Balcony restoration in Boca Raton

Who this is for

Associations with balcony items in a milestone, recertification or engineer's report, or owners reporting cracking, rust stains or loose concrete on balconies.

What the Boca Raton rules mean for balconies

• The guidelines single out underground and lower-level garages, citing low ground elevation, a shallow and rising water table, porous ground and a corrosive coastal environment, and add an inspection of how the garage has been maintained.
• The guidelines list railings, guardrails and balcony and terrace enclosures among the facade items the engineer examines, and unpermitted balcony enclosures must be identified and legalized before the building can be recertified.
• Once the city finds the report sufficient, the owner has 365 days to start the repairs under permit, unless the Building Official or engineer of record sets a shorter time, and the repair permit must stay active. After the work, the engineer re-inspects and files a sealed letter or amended report.
• Citing NIST's preliminary findings on Champlain Towers South, the guidelines ask engineers to look closely at deck slabs, plaza decks, columns and transfer members for signs of distress such as efflorescence.
• Covered buildings recertify at 30 years, or at 25 years for condo and co-op properties within three miles of a coastline as defined in s. 376.031; threshold buildings recertify at 30 years.

How we handle balcony restoration in Boca Raton

Because Boca counts underground parking levels as stories, garage slabs and columns under a condo can bring the whole building into the program. When the recertification finds repairs, we line up a contractor who works to the engineer's scope and collect the photos and reports the city expects with the resubmittal.[2]

Permits in Boca Raton

• City of Boca Raton Building Division: Building Recertification Inspection Program notices, schedule and filings

What balcony restoration usually includes

• Removing deteriorated concrete at slab edges, soffits and around railing posts
• Cleaning or replacing corroded reinforcing steel as the engineer specifies
• Patching or recasting concrete and restoring drainage slopes
• Waterproof traffic coatings and sealant at doors and railings
• Resetting or replacing railings where posts have corroded

Why balconies are often the first repair

Balconies are exposed to rain and, near the coast, salt air on several faces at once, and they are where most inspections first see cracking and rust staining. In Phase 2 the inspector may open up slab edges to look at the reinforcing steel.[4]

Planning the work with residents

Restoration usually runs stack by stack. Residents clear balconies, doors may be sealed for days, and swing stages or scaffolds work outside windows. A clear notice plan from the board saves a lot of calls to the manager.

Frequently asked questions