A building facade inspection is a mandated examination of a building’s exterior walls and enclosure, performed to catch deterioration before it becomes a falling hazard or a structural failure. If you own or manage a building 80 feet or taller in Chicago or a condominium or cooperative building of three or more habitable stories in Florida, these inspections are not optional. They run on legal deadlines, and missing them carries real penalties.
Facade Consultants has spent four decades building, testing, and investigating the exteriors of high-rise buildings in Chicago, South Florida, and across the country. Here is what the rules in both places actually require and how to come out of an inspection cycle with your budget and your building intact.
Facing an inspection deadline or a report full of findings? Book a call or phone 847-878-8922.
What Is a Building Facade Inspection?
A building facade inspection is a periodic, professionally performed assessment of a building’s exterior walls, cladding, windows, and attached elements, required by local or state law once a building reaches a certain height or age. The inspector documents the condition of the facade, identifies unsafe or deteriorating conditions, and files a signed report with the local building authority. The two programs most relevant to our clients are Chicago’s Exterior Wall Program and Florida’s milestone inspection law.
Chicago Facade Inspection Requirements: The Exterior Wall Program
Chicago’s facade ordinance became law in 1996 after facade material fell from buildings and endangered pedestrians. It is administered by the Chicago Department of Buildings and written into the Chicago Building Code (Sections 14A-6-603.2 through 14A-6-603.4).
Who must comply in Chicago
The ordinance applies to buildings with exterior walls and enclosures 80 feet or more in height, roughly seven to eight stories. Even if only a portion of the building, such as a penthouse, exceeds 80 feet, the building is covered. “Exterior walls and enclosures” means the entire building envelope, and inspectors also examine the wall surfaces where appurtenances like balconies, signs, canopies, and window-washing equipment attach.
The three types of Chicago Facade reports
| Report type | What it involves | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Examination | Close-up, hands-on examination with at least one scaffold drop (minimum 24 feet) per elevation | Every 4 to 12 years, depending on the building’s construction category |
| Ongoing Inspection | Visual examination from grade and accessible locations, often with binoculars or drones | At the midpoint of the critical examination cycle |
| Short Form | Streamlined visual inspection for buildings previously classified as safe, or safe with repair and maintenance | Every 2 years |
Buildings are sorted into four categories based on how the exterior wall is attached and how prone its metal components are to corrosion. Category determines how often the close-up critical examination is due. Reports must be prepared, signed, and sealed by an architect or structural engineer licensed in Illinois, then filed with the city. Details and current rules are published at the City of Chicago Department of Buildings resource pages.
The practical takeaway: a critical examination is infrequent and close-up, which means it tends to uncover conditions nobody knew existed. Owners who go in blind often come out with an expensive surprise.
Florida Milestone Inspections: The Post-Surfside Law
On June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South condominium collapsed in Surfside, Florida, killing 98 people. In response, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 4-D in 2022, creating a statewide structural inspection program now codified in Florida Statute 553.899. The law has since been refined by SB 154 (2023), HB 1021 (2024), and HB 913 (2025).
Our Florida office sits in Sunny Isles Beach, minutes from Surfside. We take this law personally.
Who must comply in Florida
Milestone inspections apply to condominium and cooperative buildings that are three or more habitable stories in height. Under HB 913, floors used exclusively for parking, storage, or mechanical equipment do not count toward the habitable-story threshold. Single-family homes through four-family dwellings are exempt.
When milestone inspections are due
- The first milestone inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 years old, measured from the certificate of occupancy date.
- For buildings within three miles of a coastline, the local enforcement agency may require the first inspection at 25 years instead. Many South Florida jurisdictions have kept the 25-year threshold, so always confirm with your local building department.
- After the first inspection, the cycle repeats every 10 years.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 explained
A milestone inspection is performed by an architect or engineer licensed in Florida and proceeds in up to two phases. Phase 1 is a visual examination of the building’s major structural components. If the inspector finds no substantial structural deterioration, the process ends there. If substantial deterioration is identified, Phase 2 follows, which can include destructive and nondestructive testing to determine the full extent of the problem. Once a Phase 2 report is filed, repairs for the identified deterioration must commence within 365 days.
What noncompliance costs
Missing a milestone deadline can bring fines of $500 or more per day, referral to code enforcement, reporting to the state’s Division of Condominiums, a potential unsafe-structure designation, and personal liability exposure for association board members. Official guidance is published by the Florida DBPR Division of Condominiums.
One more date that matters right now: associations pairing their milestone inspection with a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) must complete the SIRS no later than December 31, 2026.
What Facade Inspectors Look For
Whether the program is Chicago’s or Florida’s, inspectors are hunting for the same families of distress: cracked, spalling, or displaced masonry and concrete; corroded anchors, shelf angles, and reinforcement; failed sealant joints; loose or deteriorated cladding panels; water staining that signals hidden moisture; and glass or glazing conditions that threaten safety. Many of these begin as water problems. In our forensic work, water is the number one force we find quietly dismantling facades from the inside out.
What Happens If Your Inspection Finds Problems
A report that flags deficiencies starts a clock. In Chicago, hazardous conditions must be addressed, and the building’s classification affects which reporting program you qualify for. In Florida, substantial structural deterioration triggers Phase 2 and a 365-day repair commencement deadline. Either way, the owner now has to answer three questions fast: what exactly is failing, how far does it extend, and what is the right repair at the right price?
Those are diagnostic and procurement questions, not just inspection questions. This is where an independent building envelope consultant earns their keep.
How Facade Consultants Help Before, During, and After the Inspection
Facade Consultants is not the city’s inspector. We work for you, the owner, board, or manager, around the mandated inspection:
- Pre-inspection condition assessments: We examine your facade the way an inspector will, so you know what the report will say before it is written. Surprises become line items you planned for. Learn more about our forensic investigation approach.
- Testing that finds the real cause: When an inspection flags staining, leaks, or glazing problems, our testing services determine the actual failure mechanism, so you repair the cause instead of repainting the symptom.
- Repair scoping, bid documents, and contractor selection: We have prepared repair scopes and bid documents, run pre-bid conferences, and selected bidders for facade and glazing repairs on buildings from Chicago high-rises to institutional campuses. Our construction and design consulting team keeps repair projects on budget and on schedule.
- Documentation: We produce clear, illustrated reports that stand up in front of owners, lenders, insurers, and buyers.
- If it turns into a dispute: When inspection findings become claims or litigation over defective work, our expert witness practice has supported attorneys and insurers in facade, window, and glass matters nationwide.
Worth knowing: under Florida’s HB 913, professionals bidding on a milestone inspection must now disclose in writing if they also intend to bid on the repair work that inspection might generate. An independent consultant whose only job is protecting your interests has no such conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are facade inspections required in Chicago?
Buildings 80 feet or taller need a close-up critical examination every 4 to 12 years depending on construction category, an ongoing visual inspection at the midpoint of that cycle, or a short-form report every 2 years if the building qualifies for the streamlined program.
Which Florida buildings need a milestone inspection?
Condominium and cooperative buildings with three or more habitable stories. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30 (or 25, where the local enforcement agency requires it for buildings within three miles of the coast) and then every 10 years.
Who is allowed to perform these inspections?
In Chicago, an architect or structural engineer licensed in Illinois is needed. In Florida, an architect or engineer licensed in Florida is required. Reports must be signed and sealed and filed with the local authority.
Do facade inspections cover windows, glass, and curtain walls?
Yes. The building envelope includes windows, curtainwalls, and glazing, and these systems are frequent sources of the water intrusion and anchorage problems that inspections flag. That is our home turf: see our guide to building water intrusion investigations.
What should we do if our building is approaching its deadline?
Confirm your exact due date with your local building department, then get ahead of it with a pre-inspection assessment so findings never catch you unbudgeted.
Get ahead of your inspection deadline. Book a free consultation with Facade Consultants or call 847-878-8922. Offices in Northbrook, IL, and Sunny Isles, FL.
