Florida associations are heading into 2025–2026 with tighter inspection rules, new reserve requirements, and more scrutiny on how boards handle construction projects. Many condo and HOA boards now hold milestone inspection and SIRS reports that identify serious issues, but they are unsure how to turn those documents into a realistic plan. This article gives you a clear, practical HOA construction project roadmap in Florida.
It is written for board members, community association managers, and property managers who need to move from “we have the report” to “the work is done, and the building is safer.” You will learn how to connect milestone inspections, SIRS, funding, and construction management into one coordinated process.
Key Takeaways
- Milestone inspections and SIRS are not the finish line — they are the starting point for a multi-year capital plan.
- Boards must understand their specific deadlines, based on building height, age, and Florida’s latest condo reforms.
- A clear scope of work, realistic phasing, and cost planning are essential to avoid surprise special assessments.
- Most risk hides in coordination gaps between engineers, contractors, and the association’s budget.
- An experienced Owner’s Representative can turn technical reports into a structured project plan and protect the board during negotiations.
- Strong cost management, documentation, and communication will be just as important as the construction itself.
- Starting early in 2025–2026 gives your community better pricing, more contractor options, and fewer emergency decisions.
Why Milestone Inspections and SIRS Matter for Florida HOAs and Condos
Florida’s new regime of milestone inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies (SIRS) grew out of hard lessons about deferred maintenance and structural risk. These laws push associations to identify and fund critical repairs before they turn into emergencies.
For boards, that means two big shifts. First, structural and life-safety issues are now front and center, and ignoring them carries legal, financial, and insurance consequences. Second, long-term planning is no longer optional — reserve funding and construction planning must work together.
Milestone inspections tell you what is wrong with the building today. SIRS tells you what the building will need over the next 10–30 years. Together, they become the technical backbone of your construction and capital improvement roadmap.
Key Deadlines and What Boards Really Need to Know
The exact deadlines for your association depend on building type, height, age, and control date, but the pressure points are similar across Florida. Recent reforms, including HB 913 and updates to prior laws like SB 4-D and SB 154, tightened the timeline for both inspections and reserves.
- Who is covered: Most condominium and cooperative buildings with three or more habitable stories must complete milestone inspections and SIRS on a fixed schedule.
- SIRS deadlines: Many associations now face a Structural Integrity Reserve Study deadline of December 31, 2025, with limited flexibility to extend to December 31, 2026 when SIRS is completed together with a required milestone inspection.
- Milestone inspection timing: Initial milestone inspections typically occur when a building reaches around 30 years of age, or earlier in some coastal jurisdictions, with follow-up inspections every 10 years.
- Reserve funding: After SIRS is complete, associations must begin funding required reserves according to the study, with fewer options to waive or underfund those line items.
- Local enforcement and reporting: Local authorities and the state now track inspection and repair activity more closely, increasing visibility into which buildings are compliant and which are not.
The key takeaway for boards is simple. Do not wait for the final month before a deadline. Use the time in 2025–2026 to line up experts, develop a realistic plan, and secure funding on your terms rather than in crisis mode.
What Boards Usually Underestimate (Scope, Cost, Timelines)
Most Florida boards now accept that they must do the work. Where things fall apart is in understanding the true scope, cost, and duration of that work. A 40-page engineering report can sound precise while still leaving major practical questions unanswered.
Boards often underestimate how many building systems are interconnected. Concrete repairs, balconies, waterproofing, railings, windows, and roof details all touch each other. Fixing one item without addressing related components can create rework and extra mobilization costs later.
Costs are also more than “hard construction.” Boards must plan for design fees, permitting, temporary protections, contingency, relocation or unit access issues, and owner communications. Without a cost management strategy, change orders and delays can quickly push a project beyond the community’s comfort zone.
Finally, timelines are longer than many board members expect. Procuring engineers, preparing construction documents, securing permits, bidding, and staging work around hurricane season and resident occupancy can easily stretch projects over multiple years.
From Inspection Report to Real Construction Work
Linking Milestone Findings to Actual Projects
The first job after receiving a milestone inspection or SIRS is to translate technical findings into practical, buildable scopes of work. That means grouping issues by building system and priority, not just by page number in the report.
For example, your engineer may note slab spalling in the garage, balcony edge cracking, and failed waterproofing at planters and pool decks. Those findings can be combined into a single concrete restoration and waterproofing project, instead of three fragmented efforts.
The same is true for exterior façades, railings, and windows. Boards should work with their engineer, Owner’s Representative, and contractor to define clear project packages that address structural repairs, waterproofing, coatings, and accessory items together. This is where strong construction management makes a measurable difference in both cost and disruption.
Next comes documentation. Your team must convert the inspection findings into drawings, specifications, and bid documents. That documentation is what allows apples-to-apples contractor bids and gives the association leverage when negotiating price, schedule, and warranties.
How an Owner’s Rep Protects the Association During SIRS-Driven Projects
An Owner’s Representative is a professional who sits on the HOA or condo association’s side of the table. Their job is to coordinate engineers, contractors, and vendors while protecting the board’s interests throughout the project. Falke HOA focuses on exactly this role for communities across South Florida.
During SIRS-driven projects, an Owner’s Rep helps boards sequence work in a logical way, align scope with reserve funding, and avoid scope creep. They review bids, challenge assumptions, and make sure the association is paying for necessary repairs rather than vague allowances.
On active jobs, an Owner’s Rep provides schedule oversight, site visits, progress reporting, and change-order review. They help boards understand whether a contractor’s request is justified and whether it should be funded from contingency or handled differently. You can learn more about this role in Falke HOA’s guide on what an Owner’s Representative does for HOAs.
Because these projects involve both building safety and large sums of money, many boards pair Owner’s Representation with dedicated cost management support. This combination keeps design, construction, and financing aligned all the way from bid through closeout.
Practical Checklist for Boards Planning Projects in 2025–2026
- Confirm with your legal and engineering team which milestone inspection and SIRS deadlines apply to your specific building.
- Review your most recent milestone and SIRS reports and highlight all items related to structural integrity, waterproofing, and life-safety as top priorities.
- Engage an experienced Owner’s Rep and project manager early to help translate reports into grouped, buildable project scopes.
- Ask your engineer to clarify any ambiguous language in the reports and to recommend practical phasing options for the work.
- Develop a multi-year funding plan that combines reserves, possible special assessments, and financing in a way owners can realistically support.
- Create a communication plan so owners understand why work is needed, how it will be sequenced, and what to expect in terms of access and noise.
- Use competitive bidding with clear, consistent bid documents to reduce change orders and pricing surprises.
- Choose contract types and terms that give your association transparency into allowances, unit prices, and contingency usage.
- Set up a predictable meeting rhythm for construction updates, including written progress reports and photos.
- Establish a simple but strict change-order process so no extra work proceeds without documented approval.
- Ensure that all key documents — reports, drawings, permits, contracts, pay applications, and inspection sign-offs — are stored in an organized digital folder or portal.
- After completion, update your SIRS and maintenance plans so future boards know what was done, when, and how to maintain it.
FAQ: Milestone Inspections, SIRS and Projects
Do we need to complete every repair in the report immediately?
Not every item in a milestone or SIRS report carries the same urgency. Structural and life-safety issues usually demand near-term action, while some maintenance items can be phased over several budget cycles.
Your engineer, Owner’s Rep, and legal counsel can help classify findings into “critical now,” “near-term,” and “long-term” categories. The goal is to address risk promptly while keeping the project financially manageable for owners.
How early should we bring in an Owner’s Representative?
The best time to engage an Owner’s Rep is as soon as you receive, or even anticipate, major inspection findings. Early involvement allows them to shape scope definitions, procurement strategy, and budget planning instead of just reacting to decisions already made.
By bringing an Owner’s Rep in at the front end, the board gains a single point of coordination for engineers, contractors, and lenders. That often results in fewer surprises and a smoother path from inspection report to completed work.
What if our association cannot afford all the recommended work at once?
Many Florida associations are struggling with the size of SIRS-driven repair and reserve numbers. The answer is usually structured phasing and a blended funding strategy, not delay or denial.
Your team can explore combinations of reserve contributions, special assessments, and financing, tied to a realistic multi-year construction plan. Transparent communication with owners is critical so they understand that these costs are driven by safety, law, and long-term asset preservation.
About Falke HOA
Falke HOA is a South Florida consulting firm dedicated to Owner’s Representation, construction management, cost control, and development management for HOA and condominium associations. The firm’s mission is to protect communities during complex construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects so boards are not left to manage contractors on their own.
Falke HOA’s services cover the full project life cycle, from early planning and budgeting through bidding, construction oversight, and closeout. Their team focuses on schedule control, quality assurance, risk management, and financial transparency, making sure every dollar spent is tied to clearly defined scope.
The company serves boards, property managers, building owners, and developers across South Florida who need a trusted advocate on their side of the table. To explore specific service areas such as project management for HOA construction, cost management, or to request a consultation, boards can also browse the educational resources on the Falke HOA blog.
