What happens after a Phase 2 milestone inspection report in Florida?

Short answer: After a Phase 2 milestone inspection report, a Florida condominium board should first address any immediate safety measures the engineer identifies. Next, it should record the report and filing dates, deliver the inspector-prepared summary to owners within 45 days, and confirm the local timeline for repair action. The board then typically moves into repair design, permitting, contractor procurement, funding, construction oversight, and post-repair closeout.

A Phase 2 report does not mean every item in it has the same urgency or the same repair path. The report documents the engineer's evaluation of the conditions identified in Phase 1. It may identify:

• substantial structural deterioration;
• unsafe conditions;
• recommended repairs;
• preventive work; and
• areas that need further investigation.

Important: This article is educational. It is not legal, financial, or project-specific engineering advice. Local building department procedures, your association's governing documents, and the conditions in your report can change the required next steps.

This article is written for boards of Florida condominium associations. The funding, bidding, and disclosure rules below come from Chapter 718, the Condominium Act. Cooperatives and homeowners' associations operate under different chapters, so their boards should confirm with counsel which rules apply.

For the basics of Phase 1 and Phase 2, see Milestone Inspections vs. SIRS in Florida.

A regional note: in Broward and Miami-Dade, the county recertification programs administer the milestone requirement, and local procedures may package the inspection phases differently. Miami-Dade's program, for example, combines Phase 1 and Phase 2 into a single inspection. For local detail, see Miami-Dade building recertification requirements and Broward County compliance requirements.

1. Review the findings with the engineer who prepared the report. Ask whether any condition calls for immediate protective measures, such as restricting access to an area, installing temporary shoring, or removing loose material. Safety measures should not wait for a repair deadline.
2. Record the key dates. Use the date tracker below.
3. Deliver the summary to unit owners. The association must do this within 45 days of receiving the report.
4. Confirm your local repair timeline. Ask the building department in writing, and ask counsel how it applies to your association.
5. Decide what repair documents are needed. Ask the engineer what design work must happen before permitting and bidding can begin.

Need an engineer to walk your board through the report? Fortis BuildSafe Solutions can review the findings, identify immediate next steps, and outline the engineering path to repair. Request a Phase 2 report review.

Different requirements run from different events. Keep these dates in one place, in writing:

• Phase 1 report submission date — The Phase 2 progress report is due within 180 days after it (§553.899(7)(b)).
• Phase 2 progress report submission date — Confirms the engineer met that requirement.
• Date the association received the Phase 2 report — Starts the 45-day owner-summary deadline (§553.899(9)).
• Date the building department received the Phase 2 report — Local repair ordinances run from this date (§553.899(11)).
• Owner-summary delivery date and method — Documents compliance with the 45-day requirement.
• Local repair action deadline, confirmed in writing — The controlling deadline to schedule or begin repairs.
• Date repairs commenced, as your building department defines it — Supports the proof you must provide (see below).

Under F.S. §553.899(8), a milestone inspection report must, among other requirements:

• bear the seal and signature of the licensed engineer or architect who performed the inspection;
• indicate the manner and type of inspection that forms the basis for the report;
• identify any substantial structural deterioration, within a reasonable professional probability based on the scope of the inspection, describe its extent, and identify recommended repairs;
• state whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed;
• recommend remedial or preventive repairs for items that are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration; and
• identify items that need further inspection.

A Phase 2 may involve destructive testing, which removes small samples or opens up finishes, or nondestructive testing, which evaluates materials without damaging them (§553.899(7)(b)). Testing narrows the uncertainty about how far deterioration extends, but it does not remove that uncertainty until the repair areas are opened. Where destructive testing is warranted, the scope should state:

• anticipated access;
• testing locations;
• restoration expectations; and
• any coordination with owners' units that is required before work begins.

The findings do not all carry the same urgency. Ask the engineer to help the board separate three groups: substantial structural deterioration, preventive repairs, and items that need further investigation. The right priority and timing for each depend on the findings and on the requirements that apply to your building.

• Local deadline. Each county or city must adopt an ordinance setting a deadline to schedule or begin repairs for substantial structural deterioration after the local enforcement agency (your building department) receives the Phase 2 report. That local deadline controls.
• The 365-day limit. State law also provides that the required repairs must be commenced within 365 days (§553.899(11)). The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) describes that period as running from the building owner's receipt of the report.
• Confirm the dates. Because the triggering date can affect enforcement, confirm the applicable local ordinance and timeline with counsel and the building department.
• Proof. The owner must give the building department proof that repairs have been scheduled or have commenced. If that proof is not provided within the required timeframe, the building department must review the building and determine whether it is unsafe for human occupancy (§553.899(11)). Local ordinances may also set their own timelines and penalties (§553.899(10)).

What counts as "commenced"? Do not assume. A signed contract, a permit being issued, mobilization, and physical work may not be treated the same way in every jurisdiction. Get your building department's position in writing.

What if repairs cannot begin on time? Contact counsel, your engineer, and the building department right away. Do not assume an extension is available.

The report goes to the association and to the local building official. From there, the division of work is usually as follows:

• The engineer prepares and seals the report and the repair documents.
• The association delivers the owner summary and keeps the records.
• The owner (the association, for a condominium) provides proof of repair action to the building department.
• The permit applicant, usually the contractor, obtains the permits.

Local procedures control. Your building department will tell you who files what, and how.

Often it cannot. An inspection report identifies deterioration and recommends repairs, but it may not have enough detail for a permit application or for contractors to price the same scope. The engineer can tell the board whether additional repair documents are needed. These are typically drawings and specifications that define:

• repair methods;
• estimated quantities;
• materials; and
• the standards the finished work must meet.

Quantities in concrete repair are usually estimates until the work areas are opened, so bid documents normally include unit prices for additional work.

Repair work often requires one or more permits, but the permit path depends on the scope of work and on the local building department. Florida law prohibits repairing a building without first obtaining a permit, except as otherwise provided by law (§553.79(1)(a)).

In a typical project, these steps overlap rather than run strictly in sequence:

• the board authorizes the work, selects the contractor, arranges funding, and oversees progress;
• the engineer prepares the repair documents;
• the permit applicant obtains the permits; and
• the contractor performs the work.

A repair recommendation is not always a permit-ready scope. Fortis BuildSafe Solutions can prepare restoration documents and provide construction-phase restoration oversight.

Boards are often surprised to learn that "the engineering" is several separate services, each with its own scope:

• Milestone inspection: covers evaluating conditions and reporting findings. Does not cover repair drawings, permits, or construction.
• Repair design: covers drawings and specifications for the repairs. Does not cover performing the work.
• Permit support: covers documents and responses the permit process needs. Does not cover permit fees or contractor filings.
• Contractor work: covers performing the repairs under contract. Does not cover engineering judgment on changed conditions.
• Construction-phase services: covers submittal review, questions, and periodic observation, as the agreement defines them. Does not cover continuous inspection or a guarantee that every deficiency is found.
• Testing and closeout: covers any required testing, reinspection, and documentation. Does not cover anything outside the agreed scope.

Confirm in writing which of these your engineering agreement includes.

Look beyond price. Ask each bidder for:

• Licensing and insurance. Current Florida licensure and proof of insurance, verified independently.
• Relevant experience. Comparable concrete and structural restoration work, with references.
• Pricing on common terms. Unit prices for the additional work that concealed conditions often require.
• A schedule and a safety plan. Including how occupied areas will be protected.
• Warranties. Terms for both workmanship and materials.
• A change-order process. Tied to engineer review and board approval.

Have the engineer review the bids for technical completeness before the board awards the contract.

Competitive bids are generally required when a contract for materials, equipment, or services will cost the association more than 5 percent of its total annual budget, including reserves (F.S. §718.3026(1)). Whether a repair contract crosses that line depends on both the contract value and the association's budget. The statute also provides that:

• the association does not have to accept the lowest bid;
• engineering and certain other professional services are exempt from the bidding requirement;
• associations may obtain needed products and services in an emergency, and sole-source suppliers are addressed separately; and
• associations with 10 or fewer units may opt out of the section if two-thirds of the unit owners vote to do so.

Florida law requires disclosure on both sides of the table:

• From the professionals. An engineer or architect performing a milestone inspection must disclose in writing any intent to bid on the repair, maintenance, or replacement services the report recommends. Design professionals and contractors bidding on the recommended work must disclose to the association, in writing, any interest in the inspecting firm and any family relationship within the third degree (§553.899(12)).
• From the board. When a director or officer, or a relative, has an interest in a business that deals with the association, §718.3027 requires disclosure, a listing on the meeting agenda, and a two-thirds vote of the other directors present. Unit owners may later vote to cancel the contract.

Whether these provisions apply depends on the parties, the scope, the ownership interests, and how the work is procured. Association counsel should review proposed arrangements before the contract is awarded.

Every association's governing documents, reserves, and finances differ. The association's attorney and accountant should guide the funding decision, and some funding choices need unit-owner approval beyond a meeting notice.

• Special assessments. Notice of a board meeting where a nonemergency special assessment will be considered must go to unit owners and be posted at least 14 days in advance. It must state the estimated cost and describe the purposes (§718.112(2)(c)). Assessment funds must be used for the stated purposes, and the statute separately addresses excess funds once those purposes are complete (§718.116(10)).
• Coordinating with the SIRS. Repairs change the condition and remaining life of the components a Structural Integrity Reserve Study evaluates. Coordinate repair funding and the reserve plan with your engineer, your reserve professional, and counsel. The effect on your reserve schedule depends on your association's circumstances (§718.112(2)(g)).

Temporary reserve relief — available only in limited circumstances. For budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028, an association that completed a milestone inspection within the previous 2 calendar years may, with the approval of a majority of the total voting interests, pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets to fund the repairs the inspection recommended (§718.112(2)(f)2.e.).

The option is not available to developer-controlled associations, to associations under unit-owner control for less than one year, or to associations controlled by bulk assignees or bulk buyers. An association that uses it must obtain a Structural Integrity Reserve Study before resuming contributions.

Do not rely on this option without a written eligibility review by association counsel and your accountant.

In concrete restoration work, concealed deterioration may extend beyond the repair boundaries first identified once areas are opened. Boards manage that uncertainty best with a change-control process agreed before work starts:

1. The contractor documents newly exposed conditions with photographs and measurements before proceeding.
2. The engineer evaluates those conditions against the design assumptions and issues any necessary direction or revised documents.
3. The additional work is priced against the unit prices or other terms already in the contract.
4. The board, or the person it has authorized, approves the change in writing before the work continues. Where a permit revision is required, the building department is involved.

Residents feel repair projects every day. A clear communication plan prevents most complaints. Plan ahead for:

• balcony closures and other restricted areas;
• notices before anyone enters an owner's unit;
• noise and dust, and the working hours when they occur;
• parking changes and temporary protections; and
• a regular update, such as a weekly notice, that explains progress and what comes next.

For repairs required by a Phase 2 report, DBPR guidance describes a post-repair reinspection and an amended report confirming that the required repairs were completed and the building is acceptable for continued occupancy. Confirm your jurisdiction's submission and closeout requirements. At closeout, a board should also collect:

• inspection results required by the building department, and confirmation that the permits are closed;
• engineering documentation of the completed work, including approved revisions and change orders;
• contractor and manufacturer warranties; and
• maintenance information for the repaired components.

Keep these with the association's official records. They support your filings with the building department and give future engineers a clear history of the building. Completing repairs does not by itself change the building's milestone inspection schedule.

What is a Phase 2 milestone inspection report? It documents the engineer's evaluation of conditions identified in Phase 1. It may identify substantial structural deterioration, unsafe conditions, recommended repairs, preventive work, and items needing further investigation (§553.899(7)–(8)).

How long does a Florida condo have to start repairs after a Phase 2 report? Your local ordinance sets the controlling deadline to schedule or begin repairs. State law also requires the repairs to be commenced within 365 days, which DBPR describes as running from the owner's receipt of the report. Confirm the dates with counsel and your building department.

Does a Phase 2 report mean the building is unsafe? Not necessarily. A Phase 2 follows Phase 1 findings, and the report states whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed. Ask the engineer directly whether any immediate protective measures are needed.

Does a condo association need competitive bids for repair work? Generally yes, when the contract exceeds 5 percent of the association's total annual budget, including reserves. Exceptions apply (§718.3026).

Can a Phase 2 report be used to get contractor bids? Sometimes, but often the repairs first need drawings and specifications detailed enough for permitting and comparable pricing.

Who distributes the Phase 2 report summary to owners? The association. It must deliver the inspector-prepared summary to each unit owner within 45 days of receiving the report, and also post it on the property and on the association's website where required (§553.899(9)).

What happens after repairs are complete? DBPR guidance describes a reinspection and an amended report confirming that the required repairs were completed. Your building department sets the closeout requirements.

If your association has received a Phase 2 report, contact Fortis BuildSafe Solutions at 954-756-6876 or sales@fortisbss.com. Fortis can review the findings with your board and help you set out a documented repair plan. Request a Phase 2 report review · Florida milestone inspection services

Reviewed by Gabor I. Nagy, PE - Founder, Fortis BuildSafe Solutions. Published September 2026.

Gabor I. Nagy, PE, is the founder of Fortis BuildSafe Solutions, a forensic engineering firm serving condominium associations in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. This article is general guidance and does not replace a property-specific engineering evaluation.

• F.S. §553.899, Mandatory structural inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings — subsections (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12) (2026 Florida Statutes; accessed September 16, 2026)
• F.S. §553.79, Permits; applications; issuance; inspections — subsection (1)(a) (accessed September 16, 2026)
• F.S. §718.3026, Contracts for products and services (accessed September 16, 2026)
• F.S. §718.3027, Conflicts of interest (accessed September 16, 2026)
• F.S. §718.112, Bylaws — subsections (2)(c), (2)(f)2.e., (2)(g), (2)(h) (accessed September 16, 2026)
• F.S. §718.116, Assessments — subsection (10) (accessed September 16, 2026)
• Florida DBPR, Division of Florida Condominiums: Milestone inspections (accessed September 16, 2026)
• Miami-Dade County, Building Recertification General Considerations & Guidelines (2025) (accessed September 16, 2026)