Above, Structural engineer at work on this 40-year re-certification
In Miami-Dade County, including all municipalities, any building other than non-residential farm buildings, single family residence, duplexes and all other buildings with an occupant load of ten (10) or less and two thousand (2,000) square feet or less in area, must be inspected for electrical and structural deficiencies after 40 years. This is called a 40-year re-certification. The county actually says the 40-year re-certification must determine “the general structural condition of the building and the general condition of its electrical systems. In accordance with Section 8-11(f), you must submit a written re-certification report to the Building Official, prepared by a Florida registered professional engineer or architect, certifying each building or structure is structurally and electrically safe for the specified use for continued occupancy.” Both architects and engineers must have proven qualifications by training and experience in the specific technical field covered in the inspection report (structural or electrical) as per Section 8-11(f) of the Code of Miami-Dade County.
Adjacent, you can see the exposed reinforcing bars in the parking garage.
At left there are steel plates holding the precast panels which are in dilapidated condition.
Here is the form letter that you would receive and more details: http://www.miamidade.gov/permits/library/recertification-building.pdf The procedures guidelines are here: http://www.miamidade.gov/building/form-checklist.asp If you do not comply with this regulation, you will be fined and pay all enforcement costs. Our team, consisting of an architect and consulting engineers for structural and electrical issues, is experienced in dealing with the 40-year certification process. You can see some photographs below above and below from the last one we finished. Some architects do structural inspections themselves. Maria Luisa Castellanos, R.A., LEED AP, attends the walk-thorough in each building, but her role is to find the best engineers for the particular project, and review the materials the engineers submit and organize the information so that the client and the county or municipality can easily understand what must be done. Once the report is issued to the client, the client has the option of making the corrections himself, or hiring us, when it is an extensive job, to prepare plans for permitting.
Under no circumstances is the client to sit on the report and do nothing. Some conditions are very serious as we discovered in the Surfside building. So once the report is finished the client has the duty to commence the corrections as soon as possible. Feel free to call and ask questions or schedule a meeting by calling 305-552-5465 or email Maria Luisa Castellanos at MLC@UnitedArchs.com .
Electrical engineers at work
in this 40-year re-certification - at right