Building Permits

TOP FLORIDA BUILDING CODE VIOLATIONS

Florida International University

Table of Contents

Cover Page————————————————————————————-P.1

Table of Contents—————————————————————————–P.2

Abstract —————————————————————————————–P.3

Building Permits —————————————————————————–P.4

Maintenance of Structures—————————————————————–P.5

Renovations————————————————————————————P.6

Inspections————————————————————————————-P.7

Accessibility————————————————————————————P.8

Conclusion————————————————————————————–P.9

References————————————————————————————-P.10

ABSTRACT

The Florida Building Code was created with purpose, and this includes building codes from all over the world. Building codes are constantly changing in order to adapt to new guidelines and this is so that we can adjust the way we conduct our work in hopes or bettering our buildings, structures, etc. The Florida Building Codes are a way to enhance the quality of work which includes the design, construction, erection, alteration, demolition and repair of public and private buildings, structures, etc. within the state. These are codes with which we must comply with in order to facilitate the way we work.

The purpose of this research is to introduce the most common building code violations in the state of Florida and evaluate and analyze what factors led to these violations and how we can use the information that was given or events that took place and dissect these situations in order to look for root causes so that things of similar nature do not occur again. Ultimately, these codes are a way for better integrity of buildings, facilities and structures and to avoid tragedies from occurring. As we analyze the most common violations, we are including all possible factors and in this way we can make better suggestions for future practices and hope to lessen the majority of these violations from taking place.

Building Permits

Under Section 105.1 (PERMITS), it is stated that, “any owner or owner’s authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building of structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any impact-resistant coverings, electrical, gas or mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.” It can be easy for one to keep up with permits and making sure it is following the new permit codes and regulations, but it is something that must take place. It is essential that before beginning any type of work, to have a permit. Ultimately, one should be able to recognize that it is one’s own responsibility to obtain this permit, and if one does have a permit but it is expired; one shall take the proper actions in order to have this fixed. Code enforcement personnel will give one adequate time in order to get situated but it is crucial to take immediate action to avoid any further issues or escalations. With these code violations of course comes consequences and fines. The fees are stated in Section 109 of the Florida Building Code, and usually the fee imposed is double the amount of the normal fee. One who is in violation of the permit requirement for a second or third time will have a fee imposed that is triple or quadruple the normal fee amount. If one has several violations, it is possible that the state or local government will be closely examining the construction project and would want to investigate it. Possible litigation can take place and also this can delay the project and one would not want that. Although some people might get away with not obtaining a permit, it is eventually going to come back and fall on the project and cause many other issues.

Maintenance of Structures

It is evident that this is something that is heavily overlooked and a violation that can cause many issues, one of them resulting in fatalities. One recent and unfortunate example is the Surfside building collapse in Miami, Florida. This building had not undergone inspections and there was evidence of fractures, cracks, etc. all over the building but it was never addressed or resolved. There was an abundance of cracking on the columns, beams and walls in the underground parking garage. The ceiling of the parking garage had very obvious and noticeable water damage. These are all issues that contribute for a structure to fail. The violations that occur when it comes to maintenance may not seem like something that is deemed important to many and that is why situations like the surfside collapse occur. Maintenance is an integral part of the integrity of any building, structure, facility, home, etc. Maintenance allows for things to be caught early on and take immediate and proper action to get situation resolved and prevent tragedies from occurring. Something as simple or minor as a crack can be just a small percentage of what’s really going on inside of the structure. Under the Florida Building Code, it is said that all areas of a building and premises that are exposed to the public shall be maintained in a condition where these is no evidence of deterioration or cracking. These signs are also things that cause panic to the people surrounding the area and living in the area. The exterior wall surfaces should be kept free of faded or chipped paint and has to be painted, recovered or cleaned when 25% or more of any exposed surface becomes discolored or starts to peel. Not only is it based on visual aesthetics but is has a lot to due with the safety of the structure and the safety of the residents.

KITCHEN RENOVATIONS

It is not uncommon that people want to remodel or renovate their homes. In South Florida, kitchen renovations are one of the top code violations. As previously mentioned, it is important to obtain permits because if one does not, there will be consequences and that includes fines. Permits exist for a reason, and essentially it is for own safety and the safety of the people and other structures surrounding us. When someone is going through the permit application process, it is allowing the authorized people to review your plans but also they will have inspectors to make sure everything is done right and in a safe and proper manner. An inspector will review this construction project for its safety and ultimately puts you first. This helps to ensure that everything is in compliance and to forbid for anything to go wrong in the process of the construction project and even later on in the future. Permits may seem like a nuisance, but it is better go not cut corners and do things the right way, just in case there are any issues in the future which results in lost of time and money. If there are small kitchen renovations, that is fine. But if one is moving or adding plumbing, electrical, mechanical, or walls within the home then yes, it is required to get a permit to do such renovations.

INSPECTIONS

Regular inspections are essential in every construction project. Inspections/inspectors ensure that workflows within a project are going according to the stated requirements, guidelines and regulations. Inspections are needed in order to meet the industry standards for quality, accuracy and to keep construction work within the budget and so a project does not fall behind schedule. Contractors may sometimes schedule inspections that they are not ready for because of the fact that they might not know what will be inspected. It is crucial to be aware of these situations but essentially it is to inspect the integrity of the building, structure, facility, home, etc. There are fees/penalties implemented so that these lessons the amount of times that there are inspections and so that these contractors know how to be ready for an inspection. For instance, I am working on the Miami Signature Bridge project, and we have inspectors on sight a majority of the times, usually when we are about to hit another milestone in a project. Ultimately, it is to make sure that the project is coming along as planned and to make sure there isn’t any issues that might occur later on; it is to make sure we are building the arches, bridges in accordance with the plans, FDOT, etc. Without inspections, it compromises the integrity of the project and could potentially put many people and structures surrounding it at risk. With a project of this complexity, it is important to conduct inspections, but this applies to any construction project.

ACCESSIBILITY

This codes purpose is to put in place accessibility to places and for public accommodation and commercial facilities by individuals with disabilities. This code applies to state local facilities, and residential buildings. It is to be applied during the design, construction, and alteration of such buildings and facilities as required by Section 553.501 through 553.512, Florida Statutes. This is important as I feel that many forget that things aren’t so easily accessible for some individuals. People forget that that there are people with disabilities and that is why accessibility is important. There should always be a means of accessibility and this isn’t always just because of those who have a disability. Accessibility is crucial to a safe environment. For instance, a fire could occur in a building so there should always be access routes and access alternatives in order to evacuate the building immediately. If anything was to cave in, there should be accessibility in place. People tend to forget that accessibility is a big part of construction parts, because it is also how workers are allowed on parts of the jobsite. For instance, as previously stated, I work at the Miami Signature Bridge and the access I am referring to in this case is having access when coming out of the “footer.” We are currently working with backfilling the enclosed area surrounding the footer and it is crucial to have accessibility to get in and out, especially with the equipment being used. Epoxy injections are occurring around the footer so it is about 12 feet in depth and anything can happen. When working on the arch 2 pedestal at this project, we find ways for a means of access and egress because the workers have to work in between rebar, rebar cages, etc. Having no means of accessibility on a project puts at risk for accidents and even unfortunate fatalities.

Conclusion

To conclude, Florida Building Codes were established as a way to have rules and regulations set into place and to make sure we are in accordance with everything that the project needs to be. These building codes provide a sense of security and works as a guideline to maintain order. They serve as a way of ensuring security and making sure everyone and everything surrounding a project is safe. We learn as we discover the flaws we find on structures and this way the codes aren’t ever necessarily “permanent.” Codes are always periodically changing and accommodating to issues within the state. Each state may have similar codes, but every state has their own way of conducting things. A lot of factors are taken into account when developing codes for each state and its mainly because no state is exactly the same as another one. For Florida, codes can depend and adjust due to climate change, weather, the soil, and just anything that is observed from the past. If we do not have codes in place, then anyone can do what they want, and a lot of disasters can happen this way. It is important to analyze and evaluate codes as this is a way how we conduct further research and figure out what works and what doesn’t. In this Industry, we carry a lot of responsibility and risk so it is very important that we are inspecting and redefining and readjusting our codes, standards and regulations to accommodate to what we as a state experience. Florida Building Codes serve a purpose to make sure a project is in accordance with all the regulations and standards it should be following, so that no ones safety is compromised and neither is the structures integrity.

 

Bibliography

“Keep an Eye out: Top 10 Building Code Violations.” TampaHomesSold.com, 9 Sept. 2018, https://www.tampahomessold.com/top-10-building-code-violations/.

By, & Hockin, L. &. (n.d.). Building code violations and contractor liability: Florida Construction Defect Lawyers. Linkhorst & Hockin, P.A. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.floridahardhatlaw.com/building-code-violations-and-contractor-liability/.

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/common-building-code-violations-in-florida-58423

https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/florida