Condo concrete restoration in Pinellas County

Repair rules in Pinellas County

• The county says that if a building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the 49% rule applies to repairs, which can change the scope and cost of a large repair project.
• In the state's 2024 data, 8 Pinellas buildings were found unsafe or uninhabitable after milestone inspections, out of 30 statewide and behind only Osceola County.
• The county uses the 30-year schedule with the state's legacy dates and no separate coastal rule, so a Gulf-front tower on Indian Rocks Beach has the same first deadline as an inland building.
• Buildings that reached 30 years before 1 July 2022 had to be inspected before 31 December 2024, those reaching 30 by 31 December 2024 before 31 December 2025, and later buildings by 31 December of the year they turn 30.
• The county counts a garage or parking area beneath the living space as a story, which can bring a building over parking into the three-story rule.
• For Phase 2, the county page notes the inspector prefers the least disruptive and most easily repaired locations for testing.

How we handle concrete restoration in Pinellas County

For repairs in Pinellas the flood map matters as much as the engineer's report. In a Special Flood Hazard Area the county applies the 49% rule, so a large concrete restoration can trigger wider requirements. We ask the engineer and contractor to check the flood zone and the repair value early, before the board commits to a scope.[1]

Permits for condo concrete restoration in Pinellas County

• Pinellas County, Condo Milestone Inspections: Milestone inspection registration and reports through the Access Portal

How does a restoration project run?

1. The engineer's report identifies the deterioration and recommended repairs.
2. A Florida-licensed engineer prepares repair drawings and specifications, often the engineer who did the inspection.
3. Qualified restoration contractors bid on the same scope, each disclosing any interest in the inspection firm as the statute requires.
4. The contractor obtains permits from the local building department.
5. Repairs proceed in phases, usually stack by stack, with shoring where the engineer requires it.
6. The engineer observes the work, and the building department inspects and closes the permits.

What deadlines apply to repairs?

The state sets the outer limit of 365 days from the Phase 2 report for repairs to commence, and each county or city must adopt its own repair ordinance. Fort Lauderdale's program allows 180 days from the safety report unless the Building Official sets otherwise, and the City of Miami gives 60 days after filing a recertification report to obtain repair permits without a violation.[3][4][5]

Who may bid on the repairs?

Any design professional or contractor licensed under chapter 489 who bids on repairs recommended by a milestone inspection may not have an interest in the inspection firm, or be a relative of someone who does, unless it is disclosed to the association in writing. Without the disclosure, the contract is voidable.[3]

Frequently asked questions