If your association needs a structural integrity reserve study, the first question is usually: who can perform a SIRS legally in Florida? It matters, because a study signed by the wrong professional can be rejected, leaving your board out of compliance and out of pocket. This guide explains exactly who Florida law authorizes to perform a SIRS, the qualifications to look for, and the warning signs of a study that will not hold up.
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What a SIRS Is (in One Minute)
A structural integrity reserve study evaluates a condominium’s major structural components — roof, load-bearing walls, floor and foundation systems, fireproofing, plumbing, waterproofing, windows, and more — and recommends how much the association must reserve to maintain them. For a fuller explanation, see our SIRS explained guide. The key point here is that the study carries legal weight, so the person who signs it must be qualified.
Who Can Legally Perform a SIRS in Florida?
Under Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g), the visual inspection portion of a SIRS must be performed by a licensed engineer or a licensed architect. In practice, for a study about structural integrity, a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer with structural expertise is the right choice — they are trained to assess load-bearing systems, concrete condition, and corrosion that an unlicensed reserve specialist simply cannot evaluate.
What this means for your board: a generic reserve-study company that is not led by a licensed engineer or architect cannot lawfully complete the structural portion of your SIRS on its own.
Qualifications to Look For
When deciding who can perform a SIRS for your building, confirm these credentials:
- An active Florida Professional Engineer (PE) or registered architect license, verifiable through the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.
- Demonstrated structural experience — not just financial reserve modeling.
- Direct experience with Florida milestone inspections and coastal construction.
- A signed and sealed report you can hand directly to your association’s records.
Red Flags: Who Should Not Perform Your SIRS
Be cautious of providers who cannot show an engineer of record, who subcontract the inspection to unlicensed staff, or who deliver a financial spreadsheet with no real structural assessment behind it. A SIRS that skips a qualified structural evaluation may be cheaper today, but it can fail review, mislead your reserve funding, and leave the board exposed if a component fails sooner than the study assumed.
Because a SIRS and a milestone inspection examine overlapping components, hiring one engineer for both is often more efficient — see milestone inspection vs. SIRS.
Why Boards Choose a Registered Structural Engineer
Milestone Inspections is led by Paul Edwards Pineda, a Florida Licensed Structural Professional Engineer (PE 61808), a Licensed Special Structural Threshold Inspector (#7026221), and a Registered Structural Engineer — a rare credential in Florida. Every SIRS is performed and sealed by a licensed engineer, so your board never has to wonder whether the study will be accepted.
Can a reserve study company perform a SIRS without an engineer?
No. The structural visual inspection portion must be performed by a licensed engineer or architect under Florida law.
Does the same engineer do my milestone inspection?
Yes. Because the components overlap, one licensed structural engineer can efficiently handle both your milestone inspection and your SIRS.
How do I verify an engineer’s license?
Look up the PE number on the Florida Board of Professional Engineers website before signing any agreement.
Request a Proposal
Need a SIRS performed by a licensed Florida structural engineer? Call 305 890 6333 or request your free proposal today.
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