Planning & permits · RIDIS field notes

Permit requirements depend on what is being changed, where the property is located, and the rules of the authority having jurisdiction. A cosmetic update and a project that changes building systems are treated very differently.

Work that commonly triggers review

• Moving or adding walls, doors, or windows
• Structural framing or load-bearing changes
• New electrical circuits, panels, or significant rewiring
• Relocating plumbing or adding fixtures
• HVAC replacement, relocation, or new ductwork
• Roofing, exterior openings, and many storm-protection products
• Additions, conversions, and changes of use

Why early confirmation matters

Permit requirements can affect drawings, engineering, product selections, contractor responsibilities, inspections, and schedule. Discovering those requirements after pricing or demolition can cause redesign, delays, and avoidable cost.

Who should verify the requirement?

The applicable city or county building department is the final authority for its process. A licensed contractor, architect, engineer, or relevant trade professional can help identify likely requirements and prepare the appropriate documents, but the jurisdiction controls approval.

Questions to resolve before pricing

1. Which jurisdiction reviews this property?
2. Are architectural or engineering documents required?
3. Which trades need separate permits?
4. Are product approvals or owner/association approvals required?
5. Who submits, tracks, and responds to permit comments?
6. Which inspections must occur before work is concealed?

What owners should keep

Maintain copies of the approved scope, plans, permit card, inspection results, product documents, revisions, and closeout records. Organized records help with future work, sales, insurance questions, and warranty issues.

This guide is general information and is not a determination that a specific project does or does not require a permit.

Planning & permits · RIDIS field notes

A successful renovation usually starts well before demolition. The early decisions—scope, budget, plans, permits, materials, and who is responsible for each item—shape the schedule and the quality of the finished work.

1. Define the outcome before the scope

Write down what the space must do when the project is complete. Separate required work from optional upgrades. This gives the contractor a clear basis for discussing priorities when budget or schedule decisions arise.

2. Document existing conditions

Photograph the work area, adjacent rooms, access paths, utilities, panels, plumbing locations, and any visible damage. Existing-condition records help the project team identify constraints and distinguish new work from pre-existing conditions.

3. Identify permit and design needs early

Structural changes, electrical work, plumbing changes, mechanical work, roofing, windows, additions, and many layout changes may require plans, permits, inspections, or specialty professionals. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and project. Confirm them with the applicable building department and qualified professionals before work begins.

4. Build a written scope

• Included demolition and protection
• Materials and finish assumptions
• Trade responsibilities
• Permit and inspection responsibilities
• Owner-supplied items
• Exclusions and unresolved decisions
• Change-order procedure

5. Plan for access and daily life

Discuss working hours, parking, material storage, dust control, pets, occupied areas, utility shutdowns, and how the property will remain secure. These logistics should be resolved before crews arrive.

6. Review the closeout plan

Ask how punch-list items, inspections, warranties, manuals, final documents, and completion approval will be handled. A project should have a defined finish—not simply a day when workers stop arriving.

This guide is general educational information. Project requirements depend on the property, proposed work, governing jurisdiction, and applicable codes.

Planning & permits · RIDIS field notes

Hurricane resilience is not one product or upgrade. It is a coordinated system that transfers wind forces into the foundation, keeps openings and roof assemblies attached, limits water intrusion, and accounts for flood exposure. In Miami-Dade and Broward counties—the Florida Building Code’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ)—those decisions require especially careful design, documentation, product selection, installation, and inspection.

1. Create a continuous load path

High winds create uplift, lateral forces, and pressure changes across the roof and walls. A continuous load path connects the roof covering and deck to the framing, the framing to the walls, and the walls to the foundation. The goal is to transfer forces through designed connections without a weak link.

Items commonly coordinated

• Roof covering attachment and roof-deck fastening.
• Truss or rafter connections, straps, clips, and blocking.
• Wall reinforcement, diaphragms, collectors, and hold-downs.
• Anchor bolts, reinforcing steel, foundations, piles, or grade beams where designed.
• Compatibility between new work and existing structural conditions.

Connector type, fastener size, spacing, embedment, edge distance, corrosion protection, and substrate condition all matter. Substitutions should not be made without confirming the engineered detail and applicable approval.

2. Protect openings and maintain the envelope

A broken window, failed door, or detached opening protection can allow wind-driven rain and sudden internal pressurization. Windows, exterior doors, garage doors, storefronts, shutters, and their anchors must work as complete tested assemblies appropriate for the opening size, substrate, design pressure, and exposure.

• Verify the current Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance when applicable.
• Match the exact product model, glass or panel option, size limits, anchor schedule, and substrate shown in the approval.
• Coordinate bucks, jamb conditions, waterproofing, sealants, egress, accessibility, and hardware.
• Keep approval documents and installation instructions available for inspection.

Impact-resistant glazing and approved opening protection address wind-borne debris, but they do not make a structure floodproof or eliminate water infiltration. Product limitations and installation details still control.

3. Treat the roof as an assembly

Hurricane performance depends on the full roof assembly—not just the visible covering. Deck condition, fasteners, underlayment, flashing, edge metal, drainage, penetrations, curbs, rooftop equipment, and perimeter zones must be coordinated.

• Inspect the existing deck and connections before concealing them.
• Use the approved roof system for the actual deck type and design pressures.
• Pay special attention to corners and perimeter zones, where uplift can be higher.
• Coordinate a code-compliant secondary water barrier when required or selected.
• Anchor rooftop equipment and screen systems without compromising the roof warranty.

Hip roofs can reduce certain wind pressures compared with some gable configurations, but geometry alone does not determine performance. The final shape and structure must be evaluated as a complete engineered system.

4. Select materials for the design—not by stereotype

Reinforced concrete masonry, cast-in-place concrete, structural steel, engineered wood, and light-frame systems can all be used when properly designed and built. Material choice should respond to the program, span, exposure, budget, maintenance plan, flood risk, and local requirements.

In coastal areas, specify appropriate corrosion protection for connectors, fasteners, reinforcing, coatings, equipment, and exposed metals. Dissimilar metals, salt spray, trapped moisture, and damaged protective coatings can shorten service life.

5. Plan for flood and stormwater risk

Wind design and flood design solve different hazards. Properties in mapped flood zones may need elevation certificates, flood-resistant materials, protected utilities, engineered foundations, breakaway construction, or other measures based on the flood zone and Base Flood Elevation.

• Confirm the current flood-zone information and local floodplain requirements.
• Coordinate finished-floor and equipment elevations early.
• Use geotechnical information where required to confirm bearing and groundwater conditions.
• Direct roof and site drainage away from the structure without creating neighboring impacts.
• Do not rely on wind-rated products as a substitute for flood planning.

6. Verify products, permits, and inspections

The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), became effective December 31, 2023. Local amendments and later supplements may also apply. Before ordering major components, confirm the governing code edition, product approval status, permit drawings, delegated engineering requirements, and inspection sequence.

Preconstruction checklist

• Survey and document existing structural and envelope conditions.
• Confirm wind, exposure, flood, and site-design criteria with the design team.
• Create an approval schedule for windows, doors, roofing, shutters, and connectors.
• Coordinate penetrations, curbs, mechanical equipment, electrical service, and drainage.
• Resolve substitutions in writing before purchasing or installation.
• Photograph concealed connections and retain inspection and closeout records.

Official references

• Florida Building Commission and current code resources
• Florida Product Approval search
• Miami-Dade County Product Control

Build the system, not a collection of parts

Resilience comes from coordination: engineering, product approvals, procurement, field installation, inspections, and documentation must agree. RIDIS helps property owners organize that process and keep the approved scope visible from planning through closeout.