DDA Forensics Explains the Technical and Regulatory Process Facing Condominium Boards and Property Managers
MIAMI — A recent report from the Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) reveals significant gaps in Florida’s Milestone Inspection program, including incomplete inspections, inconsistent reporting and escalating repair costs.
The findings indicate that Florida still lacks a complete and consistent picture of compliance—even as inspections uncover substantial structural deterioration and potentially unsafe building conditions.
Florida law requires Milestone Inspections for qualifying condominium and cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or higher, generally when a building reaches 30 years of age and every 10 years thereafter. A local enforcement agency may require the initial inspection at 25 years based on local conditions, including proximity to salt water.
Report Highlights:
• Phase 1 Milestone Inspection Gap: Of 11,657 required Phase 1 Milestone Inspections reported for 2024 and 2025, only 8,736 were completed—a gap of 2,921 inspections, or approximately 25%.
• Phase 2 Milestone Inspection Delays: Building officials reported 2,535 required Phase 2 inspections but only 1,575 completed inspections, leaving a reported gap of 960.
• Inspection Extensions: OPPAGA reported that local officials granted 1,587 Milestone Inspection extensions during 2024 and 2025. Officials cited difficulty finding engineers and delays caused by engineering workloads among the reasons.
• Rising Repair Costs: The average reported permit value increased from approximately $337,229 in 2024 to $496,236 in 2025—an increase of about 47%. Individual permit values ranged from less than $1,000 to as much as $30 million.
• Unsafe Building Concerns: Milestone Inspections identified 54 buildings as unsafe or uninhabitable—30 in 2024 and 24 in 2025. Five of the 30 buildings identified in 2024 were confirmed as vacated among the officials who responded to OPPAGA. Evacuation information was incomplete for several buildings identified in 2025.
• Statewide Reporting Gaps: Of the 389 local enforcement agency jurisdictions identified by OPPAGA, 71% submitted 2024 data, and only 64% submitted 2025 data.
• South Florida Data Gaps: Although county-level officials reported 2025 data, 44% of municipal building officials in Palm Beach County, 23% in Broward County, and 21% in Miami-Dade County did not report.
• Coastal Burden: Coastal counties and municipalities accounted for 85% of reported required Phase 2 inspections in 2024 and 98% in 2025. Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties reported the highest Phase 2 volumes in 2024.
Because the state did not receive data from every jurisdiction, the report does not represent a complete statewide inventory. The actual number of overdue or incomplete inspections may be higher.
“The OPPAGA report reveals more than delayed inspections and missing data. It exposes a significant knowledge gap consistent with what we see among our milestone inspection clients at DDA Forensics. Condominium boards and property managers don’t know what they don’t know. Volunteer board members are being asked to interpret and make sense of state requirements and complex engineering findings, meet regulatory deadlines, procure major repairs and oversee construction. Many are so overwhelmed by the perceived complexity of it all that they become paralyzed with inaction. The majority do not understand the engineer’s or architect’s role, or the consequences of getting any of the steps wrong. This is not simply an administrative requirement. It is a crucial element of building safety,” said Jonathon Diego, Managing Partner, DDA Forensics.
DDA Forensics is a multidisciplinary forensic engineering firm headquartered in Miami that provides Milestone Inspections, Building Recertifications, and Property Condition Assessments throughout Florida.
Under Section 553.899, Florida Statutes, a Milestone Inspection must be performed by a licensed architect or engineer. This professional evaluates the building’s primary structural systems, identifies substantial structural deterioration and prepares a signed and sealed inspection report documenting findings and recommended repairs.
A Phase 1 Milestone Inspection consists of a visual examination of a building’s major structural components. If the engineer or architect identifies signs of substantial structural deterioration, a more comprehensive Phase 2 Milestone Inspection is required and may include destructive or nondestructive testing.
When substantial structural deterioration is identified, the association must commence repairs within the timeframe established by the local enforcement agency, and the repairs must be commenced no later than 365 days after the association receives the Phase 2 inspection report.
“The greatest challenges may begin after the milestone inspection determines that there is structural damage. Boards sometimes ask why they still need an engineer after the inspection is completed and a contractor becomes involved. The contractor’s role is to price and perform the work. The engineer’s role is to define the technically appropriate repairs, prepare the drawings and specifications, confirm that contractors are bidding the same scope and evaluate whether the completed work conforms to the repair documents. Those roles are not interchangeable,” said Diego.
When a Milestone Inspection identifies required structural repairs, continued involvement by a qualified engineer is critical. Depending on the project, an engineer may serve as the engineer of record and provide construction administration services, which include interpreting highly technical findings, prioritizing deficiencies, preparing detailed repair drawings and specifications, submitting specs for contractors to bid, conducting onsite assessments with contractors, evaluating contractor proposals, verifying quantities and specifications, and monitoring whether repairs are completed in accordance with the approved documents.
Without qualified engineering oversight, standardized line-by-line bid comparisons and accurate quantity tracking, associations may be vulnerable to inflated pricing, omitted work, reduced repair scopes, costly change orders and significant project delays.
“Compliance does not end when the initial inspection is complete. When structural repairs are required, every decision that follows can affect the safety, scope, cost, scheduling and final approval. At DDA Forensics, we sign and seal only the work we have directly managed, evaluated and can professionally stand behind. There is considerable room for error between identifying structural deficiencies and completing the required repairs. Repair drawings and specifications, repair quantities, contractor proposals, and the completed work must be appropriately reviewed and documented. An engineer’s seal is not a rubber stamp—it represents professional responsibility for the work being certified,” said Haitham Ibrahim, Ph.D., P.E., Structural Engineer, Milestone and Recertification Division, DDA Forensics.
Dr. Ibrahim leads the development and oversight of DDA Forensics’ Milestone Inspection and Recertification Division. He manages structural and Property Condition Assessments, Milestone Inspections, Recertifications, and associated repair and restoration initiatives throughout Florida. Ibrahim is also a postdoctoral associate at Florida International University (FIU), where he conducts research in structural and wind engineering. As a member of the Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance Network, he contributed to multiple post-hurricane assessments following major hurricanes. He holds a Ph.D. and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering with a focus in Structural Engineering from FIU. His Post-Tensioning Institute credentials include Level 1 Unbonded PT Installation Certification and Level 1 Unbonded PT Repair, Rehabilitation and Strengthening Certification. Ibrahim has authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers in leading publications, including Engineering Structures, the Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, and the Journal of Building Engineering.
Florida condominium and cooperative associations, property managers, commercial property owners and developers can learn more or schedule a Milestone Inspection online or call 786-772-5643.
About DDA Forensics
DDA Forensics specializes in Forensic Engineering, Building Consulting, and Expert Witness services for the insurance and legal industries throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Our Licensed Forensic Engineers investigate complex property damage claims involving wind, water, fire, structural failures, construction defects, premises liability and other losses to determine cause, origin, and extent of damage. Headquartered in Miami, our Structural Engineering Division provides Milestone & Recertification Inspections, Property Condition Assessments, Developer Turnover Inspections, and Owner Representative services for Florida property owners, property managers, board members, condominium and homeowners associations. With more than 20 years of experience, DDA Forensics provides objective and accurate forensic investigations backed by advanced education, real-world field experience, and research-driven methodology. Our multidisciplinary team delivers clear, concise, conclusive results on every project we undertake. Learn more at www.DDAForensics.com.
Media Inquiries:
Angela Delmedico
Elev8 Consulting Group
Ph: 386-243-5388
Em: info@elev8cg.com
Web: www.elev8cg.com
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