Use your hammer but use your head.
That’s the philosophy Village of Key Biscayne Building, Zoning and Planning Director Jeremy Calleros Gauger recommends when making repairs after a severe storm or hurricane.
“Anything requiring permits should be done by professionals … we don’t want to see amateurs on the roof,” he said.
Calleros Gauger said there are provisions in the Key Biscayne code that allow a property owner to make emergency repairs, such as patching a roof hole or fixing water pipe leaks.
“It doesn’t apply just to hurricanes,” he said. “A water-line break pouring in the kitchen … just common sense. Go ahead and repair (what you can) and then come in and get your inspections and permits.
Village of Key Biscayne Building, Zoning and Planning Department Director/Village Planner, Jeremy Calleros Gauger.
Photo by Jessica Drouet
“Emergencies happen all the time, the AC goes down, pipes break. (You) can replace it, but you’re obliged to get the permit afterward … and (repair it) to code.”
Issues from hurricanes come from wind, flooding or a combination of both.
“Roof damage, uplift (of structures) and impact from debris is the damage usually caused by wind,” Calleros Gauger said. “Water intrusion and flood debris can result in damage from excessive rain.”
Speaking of permits, just this past week Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill, HB 803, that goes into effect July 1.
The bill states: “A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owner’s contractor from the requirement to obtain a building permit to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner’s property.”
The measure also limits local government officials from inspecting the work, allows certain out-of-state licensed building officials to work for one year after a declared state of emergency, and provides an exemption from building permits for certain temporary residential hurricane or flood protection walls.
The law also exempts “trade-specific-work: Local municipalities can still require a permit for any electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, or structural work, even if the job costs less than $7,500.
Calleros Gauger said he is fully aware of that legislation but doesn’t see it making an impact.
“If you look at the exemptions, which include electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work, there are very few projects which will fall into the Goldilocks world where they are not one of these categories and less than $7,500,” he said.