Lessons Learned from Champlain Inspections and Actions to Keep Your Building Structure Safe


— By Paul Duffy —


Conducting building inspections, taking action on remedies, and following a maintenance road map are the foundations that allow us to keep our buildings safe.


T


hose of us who live in, work for, and work on condominium buildings have had various conversations about the tragic Champlain


Towers Condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida. There are several practical steps that people can take to keep their condominium building in good shape and to provide the residents and the volunteer board that governs them with a clearer picture of what is ahead. Tremendous value can be gained by taking a few key steps to protect against serious building failures lurking around the corner.


 preparation requirements mandated for condominiums in Florida compared to Washington State requirements. For instance, Florida has a 40-year Building Safety Inspection Program requirement for condominiums. It does not require a reserve study, but it does provide statutory guidance on  components. Only nine states in the nation require a reserve


14 Community Associations Journal | October 2021


study to be prepared on a condominium, and Washington is one of them. With few exceptions, community associations  prepare a reserve study, maintain a separate account for reserve funds, and to update the study every year, although a 


Only nine states in the nation require a reserve study to be prepared on a condominium, and Washington is one of them.


Engineering, Architecture & Construction


The reserve study should budget for professional inspections to be performed at key areas of the


building by an engineer, architect, or construction professional  inspections should include an envelope condition assessment   garage, elevators, exposed concrete construction, structural


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