Sunrise

Sunrise Building Safety Inspection

Sunrise applies the building safety inspection standard Broward County uses across its municipalities, administered by the City's building department. A covered building needs a structural safety inspection report and an electrical safety inspection report, both on the County's approved forms.

The city's covered stock is unusually mixed — retail and entertainment property around the Sawgrass corridor, office and business park buildings, and a large inventory of condominium communities further east. Vilano Engineering delivers both reports and submits them as a single sealed package.

If You've Received a Notice

The notice identifies the building and the reports due. It does not explain what the inspections cover, what access the work needs, or what the building department expects to see in the package.

Send us the notice and we will set that out before you engage anyone.

Send us your notice →

What the Reports Cover

The structural report addresses the building's load-bearing elements and the condition of its structure. The electrical report addresses the service and distribution equipment. On a retail or business park property that extends to the equipment serving common areas, parking and site lighting.

The County's Forms

Broward's approved structural and electrical report forms are required, and a proprietary format is not accepted in their place. Each page is signed and sealed by the professional responsible for that scope, and the completed package is filed with the City's building department.

What the Standard Reaches

The inspection is not confined to the enclosed building. Elevated decks, walkways, parking garages, and docks and seawalls attached to a covered building are part of the scope. For a retail centre or an office park, the parking structure and the covered walkways are inspected alongside the building they serve.

What to Have Ready

  • The certificate of occupancy, which establishes the building's age
  • The notice received from the City
  • Prior recertification reports
  • Structural and electrical drawings
  • Access to electrical rooms, and a point of contact for scheduling

Sunrise and the Surrounding Jurisdictions

The same standard governs Tamarac to the north-east and Coral Springs further north, each administered by its own building department. Broward requires no infrared thermography, which is where the county parts company with Miami-Dade.

For what happens between receiving a notice and closing the file, see what to do when you receive a recertification notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which buildings in Sunrise are covered?

Retail and entertainment property, office and business park buildings, and condominium buildings all fall within the programme. The City's building department confirms whether a particular building is covered.

Can one firm deliver both reports?

Yes. Vilano Engineering prepares the structural and electrical reports together and submits them as a single sealed package.

Is infrared thermography required?

No. Broward's standard does not call for a thermographic scan.

Does the inspection include the parking garage?

Yes. Parking structures, elevated decks and walkways attached to a covered building are part of the scope.

What happens if the reports identify deficiencies?

The repairs need to be permitted, completed and inspected, and the building department looks for a re-inspection affidavit. Obtaining the permits is the building owner's responsibility.

Vilano Engineering, LLC is a licensed engineering firm providing building recertification and safety inspections, infrared thermography, electrical design, expert witness services, developer turnover, and property condition assessments.

Nicholas Strachan, PE

Licensed Professional Engineer — Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New York, North Carolina, Texas

Certified Level II Thermographer

Licensed Plans Examiner — Florida

25+ years in engineering design, inspection, and quality assurance

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