Service

Building Restoration Oversight

Investigation of existing deterioration, engineering recommendations and repair documentation, and engineering oversight while the restoration work proceeds.

Verification: Florida PE-led engineering, delivered to the Fortis Standard
Updated: September 4, 2026

Balcony slab-edge repair detail, existing to repaired, above the five phases of Fortis restoration oversight: repair design, bid documents, permitting, construction administration and closeout.

01 / The Repair Blueprint

How Do Findings Become A Finished Repair?

The Direct Answer

What Is Restoration Engineering?

Restoration engineering is the engineering work around a repair project: investigating existing deterioration, developing structural repair recommendations, preparing repair drawings and permitting documentation where appropriate, and overseeing the work as it proceeds. Fortis BuildSafe Solutions engineers the repair and oversees the work; Fortis does not perform the physical concrete repair.

Work across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach usually begins with the findings of a recertification, milestone or condition inspection. From that assessment the project engineer documents what is actually there, defines an appropriate repair approach, and — depending on project scope — prepares repair drawings and quantities, supports bidding, reviews shoring plans, performs Special Inspections, and reports progress to the board through close-out. Repair drawings and permit documents are prepared under the responsible charge of the assigned Fortis PE and sealed when the scope or jurisdiction requires it.

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Context

Conditions That Bring Owners To Restoration Engineering

Not every visible condition is an emergency, and not every crack is structural. The purpose of the investigation is to establish what the evidence supports before anyone prices a repair.

Concrete Deterioration

Spalling concrete, delamination and rebar corrosion in slabs, beams, columns and walls, documented before a repair approach is set.

Facade & Balcony Distress

Cracking, coating failure and edge deterioration at facades and balconies, evaluated to separate cosmetic conditions from structural ones.

Water Intrusion

Leak paths and moisture-driven damage, with waterproofing-related engineering recommendations where the scope supports them.

Parking Structures & Seawalls

Deterioration in parking decks, ramps, restraint systems and waterfront structures, assessed on the same evidence-based basis.

Process

From Investigation To Project Close-out

01. PHASE

Investigate

Forensic investigation of the reported concern and the existing conditions around it, documented with photographs, mapping and field notes.

02. PHASE

Engineer The Repair

Structural repair recommendations and, where appropriate, repair drawings, structural repair details, and repair quantity and permitting documentation.

03. PHASE

Support Bidding

Bid analysis and contractor bid leveling so the owner compares priced scopes against the same engineered repair documents, where that support is included.

04. PHASE

Oversee The Work

Shoring-plan review, construction administration, RFI responses, Special Inspections and progress reporting through close-out, where oversight is included.

Not every project includes every phase. Scope is agreed in writing before work begins, and Fortis does not promise a timeline, price or repair outcome in advance.

Scope Of Engineering Support

[+]Forensic investigation of existing deterioration and building conditions
[+]Concrete restoration engineering and structural repair engineering recommendations
[+]Repair drawings and structural repair details
[+]Repair quantity and permitting documentation
[+]Shoring and reshoring plan review
[+]Bid analysis and contractor bid leveling

Included items depend on project scope. Where a condition falls outside the agreed scope, the project engineer says so in writing.

Oversight During The Work

/01Construction administration and RFI responses
/02Special Inspections during restoration work
/03Observation of the work in place against the repair documents
/04Phased progress reporting through project close-out

The repair contractor performs the physical work, including concrete repair, waterproofing installation and coatings. Fortis does not.

Why It Matters

What Engineering Oversight Is For

The engineer’s role is to help the owner understand existing conditions, define an appropriate repair approach on the evidence, and document the decisions behind it. That documentation is what a board can review, a permitting official can read, and a contractor can price against.

Where oversight is part of the scope, the assessing engineer observes the work in place and verifies that it is consistent with the engineering intent, then records what was actually built. That record stays with the building long after the scaffolding is gone.

Who This Is For

Owners And Boards Fortis Works With

Condominium associations

Co-ops

Homeowner associations

Commercial property owners

Municipal property owners

Project Record

1170 East Point Towers

Fort Lauderdale, Broward County · Waterfront condominium + detached 2-story garage structure

Fortis inspected the 1170 building and detached 2-story garage structure as part of the building recertification process. Developed permit plans, assisted with general contractor selection, oversees repair quality, manages RFIs, conducts Special Inspections, and generates progress reports for the HOA.

Outcome

Project is ongoing; restoration efforts are on schedule to be finished in 2026.

Restoration oversight puts a Fortis engineer on the owner’s side of the work: reviewing the contractor’s means and methods against the repair documents, observing the work in place, and documenting what was actually built. See the full project footprint.

Scope reference

From Distress Mapping To Repair Drawings

Documented distress locations become the repair drawings, the bid scope contractors price, and the checklist used during construction administration through close-out.

Questions

Common Restoration Engineering Questions, Answered

What is restoration engineering?

Restoration engineering is the engineering work that surrounds a repair project: investigating existing deterioration, developing structural repair recommendations, preparing repair drawings and details where appropriate, and providing engineering oversight while the repair work proceeds.

Does Fortis perform concrete repairs?

No. Fortis engineers the repair and oversees the work; Fortis does not perform the physical concrete repair and does not act as the repair contractor.

What is the difference between a restoration engineer and a repair contractor?

The restoration engineer evaluates existing conditions, defines an appropriate repair approach, documents it, and observes the work against that documentation where oversight is included. The repair contractor performs the physical construction.

When might a building need concrete restoration engineering?

A building may need concrete restoration engineering after an inspection or investigation identifies concrete deterioration, spalling concrete, rebar corrosion, water intrusion, or distress at a facade, balcony or parking structure, and the owner needs an engineered repair approach before physical repair begins.

Can Fortis help with repair documents and contractor bids?

Depending on project scope, Fortis prepares repair drawings, structural repair details, and repair quantity and permitting documentation, and supports bidding through bid analysis and contractor bid leveling.

What does restoration oversight include?

Where included in the scope, oversight covers shoring-plan review, construction administration, responses to RFIs, Special Inspections, observation of the work in place, and progress reporting to the board or owner through close-out.

Who signs and seals Fortis’s reports and repair drawings?

Applicable final engineering reports and repair drawings are prepared under the responsible charge of the assigned Fortis PE and sealed when required by the agreed scope. The work follows the Fortis Standard.

The Forensic File

From The Forensic File

September 24, 2026
What does salt air do to a South Florida parking garage?
Read the Forensic File entry

Next Step

Establish Where Your Building Stands

Send the property details and Fortis will confirm which requirement applies and provide a written scope before any fieldwork begins.