Florida Statute, No. 553.791, known as “Alternative plans review and Inspection” authorizes the use of qualified Architectural under chapter 481, or qualified engineers, under chapter 471, as "private providers" for state required plan reviews and building code inspections on construction projects.
JAH will review your plans and prepare a submittal packet to the building department having jurisdiction. The building department, by law, has only 30 business days to respond. Because response time is determined by the law, the Private Provider Plan Review, in many cases, will immediately pay for itself. If you do not use a private provider, government response times are not regulated and often take much longer
Selected Excerpts from the Florida Statute 553.791
(4) A fee owner or the fee owner's contractor using a private provider to provide building code inspection services shall notify the local building official at the time of permit application, or no less than 7 business days prior to the first scheduled inspection by the local building official or building code enforcement agency for a private provider performing required inspections of construction under this section, on a form to be adopted by the commission. This notice shall include the following information:
(a) The services to be performed by the private provider.
(b) The name, firm, address, telephone number, and facsimile number of each private provider who is performing or will perform such services, his or her professional license or certification number, qualification statements or resumes, and, if required by the local building official, a certificate of insurance demonstrating that professional liability insurance coverage is in place for the private provider's firm, the private provider, and any duly authorized representative in the amounts required by this section.
(c) An acknowledgment from the fee owner in substantially the following form:
I have elected to use one or more private providers to provide building code plans review and/or inspection services on the building or structure that is the subject of the enclosed permit application, as authorized by s. 553.791, Florida Statutes. I understand that the local building official may not review the plans submitted or perform the required building inspections to determine compliance with the applicable codes, except to the extent specified in said law. Instead, plans review and/or required building inspections will be performed by licensed or certified personnel identified in the application. The law requires minimum insurance requirements for such personnel, but I understand that I may require more insurance to protect my interests. By executing this form, I acknowledge that I have made inquiry regarding the competence of the licensed or certified personnel and the level of their insurance and am satisfied that my interests are adequately protected. I agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the local government, the local building official, and their building code enforcement personnel from any and all claims arising from my use of these licensed or certified personnel to perform building code inspection services with respect to the building or structure that is the subject of the enclosed permit application.
(10) Upon completing the required inspections at each applicable phase of construction, the private provider shall record such inspections on a form acceptable to the local building official. The form must be signed by the provider or the provider's duly authorized representative. These inspection records shall reflect those inspections required by the applicable codes of each phase of construction for which permitting by a local enforcement agency is required. The private provider, before leaving the project site, shall post each completed inspection record, indicating pass or fail, at the site and provide the record to the local building official within 2 business days. The local building official may waive the requirement to provide a record of each inspection within 2 business days if the record is posted at the project site and all such inspection records are submitted with the certificate of compliance. Records of all required and completed inspections shall be maintained at the building site at all times and made available for review by the local building official. The private provider shall report to the local enforcement agency any condition that poses an immediate threat to public safety and welfare.
(11) Upon completion of all required inspections, the private provider shall prepare a certificate of compliance, on a form acceptable to the local building official, summarizing the inspections performed and including a written representation, under oath, that the stated inspections have been performed and that, to the best of the private provider's knowledge and belief, the building construction inspected complies with the approved plans and applicable codes. The statement required of the private provider shall be substantially in the following form and shall be signed and sealed by a private provider as established in subsection (1):
To the best of my knowledge and belief, the building components and site improvements outlined herein and inspected under my authority have been completed in conformance with the approved plans and the applicable codes
16) A private provider may perform building code inspection services on a building project under this section only if the private provider maintains insurance for professional liability covering all services performed as a private provider. Such insurance shall have minimum policy limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million in the aggregate for any project with a construction cost of $5 million or less and $2 million per occurrence and $4 million in the aggregate for any project with a construction cost of over $5 million. Nothing in this section limits the ability of a fee owner to require additional insurance or higher policy limits. For these purposes, the term "construction cost" means the total cost of building construction as stated in the building permit application. If the private provider chooses to secure claims-made coverage to fulfill this requirement, the private provider must also maintain coverage for a minimum of 5 years subsequent to the performance of building code inspection services. The insurance required under this subsection shall be written only by insurers authorized to do business in this state with a minimum A.M. Best's rating of A. Before providing building code inspection services within a local building official's jurisdiction, a private provider must provide to the local building official a certificate of insurance evidencing that the coverage’s required under this subsection are in force.
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