like john said, most affluent neighborhoods in Boca Raton, ( Palm Beach County) were built to 94 sfbc prior to 2001… I don’t assume these properties meet fbc credits, but will go to bat for them if they have the docs… with a disclaimer, of course. At the end of the day, the insurance carrier will make the call.
“We are filling out the wind mit form! We are not code inspectors. It is not our concern, whether a product has been installed to code.” **If this is a true statement, then please explain this:
**
- Was the structure built in compliance with the Florida Building Code (FBC 2001 or later) OR for homes located in the HVHZ (Miami-Dade or Broward counties), South Florida Building Code (SFBC-94)?
In order to comply with the building code a permit must have been pulled.
Everybody has an opinion on this and there have been many conflicting decisions made by the insurance companies. Everyone should just keep doing what the think is right. The only way this will ever get resolves is for the insurance companies to issue written declarations (which we know will not happen) or for the courts to decide (if and when this gets legally challenged).
I agree with John - The receipt would need to be detailed enough that you can get the product approval number from the Department of Community Affairs site. - i.e. the invoice would need to state “GAF Timberline 30” - as opposed to “30 year dimensional shingle”.
does the form ask if the windows are in compliance with any building code?
Nope 
That would be the difference between building and renovating/remodeling/improving. If the building meets the code identified in question 1, most of the questions shouldn’t be necessary. (Although I have done inspections on houses where the shutters have been stolen, so they didn’t get all the credits.)
But for houses built before that code, we are talking about the improvements that have been done to retrofit the house to mitigate storm damage, or to give credit for features that were installed but were not required. Yes we all know permits should be pulled for anything more than wiping yer bum, but sometimes they weren’t, or they just weren’t closed. Should innocent homeowners be denied credits for work they have paid to have done, because the contractor didn’t pull a permit, or in thousands of cases because the relevant authorities couldn’t process the paperwork in a timely manner? (As in, after a storm hits!)
Does the form ask if the roof covering complies with the building code besides having an approval # in the first option of A or B?
Is the roof part of the structure or is it hanging in free space?
We can start with A :** All roof coverings listed above meet the FBC with a FBC or Miami-Dade Product Approval listing current at time of
installation** OR have a roofing permit application date on or after 3/1/02 OR the roof is original and built in 2004 or later.
How do you know when the roof was put on? If there is no permit, then it is a non-compliant installation.
No, let’s go to opening protection:
Anything there about any building code?
You do have to remember that the FL product approval system didn’t start until the FBC was implemented on 03/01/2002. And the MDC approval system started with the implementation of the SFBC on 09/01/1994. Any valid approval complies with one of these building standards and therefore complies with the applicable code. I know of quite a few roofs that were put on in my area before 03/01/2002 that were MDCA. If I can prove that, then I will fill out the form accordingly.
As John said, not all carriers are on board with this and may deny it. I know when doing the re-inspection program, we were not allowed to submit just an approval # for compliance on a roof covering. I know because I asked…
We were discussing roof covering not building. The only way you can determine if a home was built to a code is the permitting/plans. They do not stamp or label homes.
Every question on the form should be answered as a stand alone question.
I did an inspection today, roof permitted 2013, had an SWR but I found NO sign of re-nailing. It probably will not matter but roof deck was marked as 6d. Just because it was permitted doesn’t mean it is right, or wrong. The only thing we can do is to interpret and answer the form the best way we can.
Get off the code kick, it is a slippery slope.
The some of the re-inspection companies are crooks and just trying to make money. Go head and ask me how I know.
Ok.
How do you know?
Not that I doubt it for a second but you asked.
I worked for and with them.
In Russ’s case you can not give compliance as the roof was put on before the code in his area. Look at 1. in what Bill posted above "OR for homes located in the HVHZ "
Installation has 100% to do with whether the material is rated or not. If there was no code how do you know it was installed correctly and performs correctly. But with that being said a roof in a northern county can not comply with a code that did not exist in their county.
In the case that Dennis said about Boca Raton. 99% of the roofs put on from 1998 or so in Palm Beach County were done by the same roofer as HVHZ so I guess they all meet even though they code didn’t exist in PBC?
Dade county product control started before 94. We had approved shutters under the 88 sfbc
I figured, I just had to throw the bone for ya 
I am not sure you can relate question one(building code) to question two(roof covering). If that was the case would it not be listed twice or listed above the section?
Question 2A “A. All roof coverings listed above meet the FBC with a FBC or Miami-Dade Product Approval listing current at time of installation OR have a roofing permit application date on or after 3/1/02 OR the roof is original and built in 2004 or later.”
is a bit more unclear with “meet the FBC” with a product approval. It would be more clear if it was written “meet the FBC and a product approval”
It is curious to note the 2B does not have the same wording/sentence structure.
Each question seems to stand on it’s own. If we were going to say that the building code was applicable through out the form why are we verifying many of the questions if the home was built to a code. If a home was built to the code why do we need to prove the shutters are impact rated? Why would we need to check roof deck nailing or SWR?
Didn’t you contradict yourself. Both areas are outside the HVHZ. Also, the code is actually stated as “installed to manufacturer’s recommendations” (Product Approval). I’ll say it again…if the roofing product has a valid product approval at the time of installation, then it qualifies for credit according to the 1802. Do you really think AHJ is checking for installation compliance at final…most do a drive-by just to see if it was completed or not. The compliance is verified with the approval # at permitting application submittal.
shutters are completely different animal. One of the reasons we have to inspect for shutters is to make sure that they are actually present on the property.as some insurance companies give different credits for what type of opening protection is present. As there may be a better discount For impact rated windows then for storm panels. They don’t have to worry about somebody installing an impact rated window when a storm is on its way as it is already in place for the protection unlike storm panels. think about it like this if you want to relate shutters to roof covering. if you see storm shutters in place with drywall screws would you still say that that is fully protected?or what about if there’s no hardware at all but there is a pile of shutters on the side of the house?