Common questions, direct answers.

Yes. Violations attach to the property, not the prior owner. If you inherit a property with an open Notice of Violation or code-enforcement lien, the responsibility to resolve it transfers to you. Many of our cases come through this exact situation — inherited violations are routinely resolvable.

Often yes, but it’s complicated. Open Notices of Violation typically show up in title searches and four-point inspections, and many buyers’ lenders won’t fund against properties with active code-enforcement files. Practical answer: resolve the violation before listing if possible. Most straightforward violations resolve in 6–12 weeks.

An after-the-fact permit is the legal pathway for permitting existing work — work that was built without a permit and now needs to be brought into compliance. The application carries a higher fee (often 2×–4× the standard rate) and is subject to inspection against current code. Most existing structures are legalizable through this path.

A permit was pulled and issued, but the final inspection never closed the file. The permit remains on the property record as "open" — and shows up in title searches, refinance underwriting, and 40-year recertifications. Most open permits are resolvable in 4–8 weeks.

We work directly with property owners. Contractors and licensed expediters have their own established procedures for filing new permits through Miami-Dade and the municipalities. Property owners come to us because the case requires more than paperwork — typically violation resolution, after-the-fact permitting, or stalled projects.

For simple new permits (fences, small structures), initial plan review is typically 24 hours to 10 business days. Add 1–3 weeks for revisions and final inspection. For violation resolution and after-the-fact cases, the timeline depends on complexity — straightforward cases close in 6–10 weeks, complex cases involving engineering and recertification can take 4–6 months. We tell you on day one which case you have.

Each engagement is quoted in writing at intake. The estimate reflects the case complexity, the deliverables required (drawings, engineering, surveys), and the resolution path. Engineering and surveyor fees, when required, are quoted separately and flow directly to those professionals. We provide a written estimate before any engagement begins — no surprises.

Often yes, especially for fences, additions, and any work near setback lines. If you don’t have a current survey we’ll let you know during intake and connect you with a licensed surveyor in our network.

For pergolas, terraces, enclosed structures, and most additions: yes. We coordinate engineering through licensed Florida PEs in our network. The engineering fee is separate from our coordination fee and we’ll quote it as part of your intake.

All of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. In Miami-Dade: Miami-Dade Unincorporated, City of Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Kendall, Homestead, Hialeah, Doral, Miami Beach, South Miami, Aventura, North Miami, and Miami Springs. In Broward: Broward Unincorporated, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Miramar, Weston, Deerfield Beach, and surrounding municipalities.

Submit the intake form, upload your violation notice or permit document if you have one, or call 305-600-9422. A specialist responds within one business day with the resolution path and a written estimate.

Indefinitely until it is finaled, voided, or expired-and-closed administratively. Miami-Dade does not auto-close inactive permits. The permit shows up on the property record forever until a final inspection is passed (or the permit is formally voided through the building department). This is why open permits surface during title searches years after the work was completed.

Under Miami-Dade Section 8-11(f), buildings 40+ years old (and every 10 years thereafter) require a structural and electrical inspection by a licensed Florida engineer or architect. The report is filed with the county. If the inspection identifies deficiencies, you have a defined cure period to resolve them or the property is cited as an unsafe structure. The most common findings: corroded rebar in concrete balconies, outdated electrical panels, deteriorated roofing structures.

Technically yes — but buyers, their lenders, and their insurers will almost always catch it during inspection and underwriting. The deal then stalls or gets re-priced. The practical answer: legalize the unpermitted work through an after-the-fact permit before listing. Most pergolas, decks, and small additions are legalizable in 8–14 weeks.

Miami-Dade Code Compliance fines typically start at $250 per day after the cure period expires, and can escalate to $500 per day for repeat or serious violations. Some municipalities (Coral Gables, Miami Beach) have higher tiers. A six-month-old unresolved violation can easily accrue $30,000–$90,000 in fines before mitigation. Mitigation requests routinely reduce final assessment by 70–95% once the underlying violation is resolved.

Most lenders will not fund a refinance against a property with an open permit. The underwriter flags it during the title search and requires the permit to be closed (or voided) before closing. If the lender does proceed, they often hold the loan amount equivalent to the estimated cure cost in escrow until the permit is finalized. The faster path: close the permit. Most close in 4–8 weeks.

Yes for all three, with very few exceptions. Fences over 4 feet (Miami-Dade Unincorporated; varies by municipality), any pergola fixed to the ground or a structure, and any shed over 100 sq ft generally require a permit. Several municipalities (Coral Gables, Pinecrest) require permits at lower thresholds. Building without a permit triggers a violation; the after-the-fact pathway is more expensive than the original permit would have been.

HVHZ stands for High-Velocity Hurricane Zone — the special wind-loading code that applies to Miami-Dade and Broward counties under the Florida Building Code. It means every exterior product (windows, doors, roofing, fasteners, structural connectors) installed in this zone must carry a Florida Building Code-approved Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Plans get rejected when products lack current NOA documentation, even if the products are physically code-compliant elsewhere in Florida.

A four-point inspection is a Florida insurance underwriting inspection covering only four systems: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and roof. It is required by most insurers for homes 25+ years old to issue or renew a policy. It is not a comprehensive home inspection — it is narrowly focused on the systems that drive insurance claims. Open permits, code violations, and unpermitted work often surface here even though the four-point itself does not test for them, because the inspector pulls the property record as part of the report.