Straight answers
for Florida buyers.
New construction, 4-point and wind mitigation inspections, and the questions buyers ask most, explained in plain language with the sources linked.
My Safe Florida Home and Wind Mitigation: How They Fit Together
What the My Safe Florida Home program offers under state law, who qualifies for its free inspection and grants, and how it relates to your OIR-B1-1802 form.
New Construction Homes in Lakewood Ranch: When to Inspect
Buying new construction in Lakewood Ranch? Check your contract, confirm the county, and inspect after the home is finished but before the final walkthrough.
How the Florida Inspection Period Works (and How to Use It Well)
How the inspection period in Florida's standard and AS IS contracts is counted, what buyers can do in it, and how to schedule inspections before the deadline.
Florida New Home Builder Warranty: Deadlines and Chapter 558
How a Florida new home builder warranty fits with Chapter 558 defect notices and the 7-year statute of repose, and how to document defects from day one.
Opening Protection: Impact Windows, Shutters and Wind Mitigation
How Florida's wind mitigation form grades opening protection, why one unprotected window or garage door changes the answer, and what proves an impact rating.
4-Point Inspection vs. Full Home Inspection: Which Do You Need?
A 4-point serves your insurer; a full home inspection serves you. What each covers, what a 4-point leaves out, and when an older Florida home needs both.
Is an Infrared Scan Worth Adding to Your Home Inspection?
What a thermal imaging scan can and cannot show, the Florida homes where it helps most, and whether infrared is included in a standard home inspection.
New Construction Final Walkthrough Checklist for Florida Buyers
A room-by-room final walkthrough checklist for Florida new builds: what to test, how to write punch list items the builder can act on, and what happens next.
Should You Test for Mold When Buying a Florida Home?
When mold testing is worth it for a Florida home buyer, when EPA and state health guidance say to skip it, what a lab result shows, and what it costs.
Toe Nails, Clips, Single Wraps, Double Wraps: Roof-to-Wall Connections
How Florida's wind mitigation form defines toenails, hurricane clips, single and double wraps, how inspectors check them in the attic, and why access matters.
New Construction Defects: What Inspectors Look For in Florida Homes
The kinds of new construction defects inspectors look for in brand-new Florida homes, from grading and attic ducts to GFCIs and trim, and why to fix them early.
How to Prepare for a 4-Point Inspection: Documents and Access
The 4-point form asks for roof, panel, HVAC, plumbing and water heater dates. Where to find them in Manatee and Sarasota permit records, and what to clear.
Federal Pacific, Zinsco and Other Panels Florida Insurers Flag
Why Florida insurers flag Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok), Zinsco and fuse panels, what the 4-point form records, and what to do if your panel is listed.
What a Florida WDO Inspection Report Tells You (and What It Doesn't)
How to read Florida's WDO inspection report (FDACS-13645): who can do it, what each section means, why inaccessible areas matter, and when lenders require it.
Hip Roof vs. Gable Roof: What It Means for Florida Insurance
Hip roof vs gable roof: how each shape handles hurricane wind, how Florida's wind mitigation form defines a hip roof, and how mixed roofs are classified.
Polybutylene, Galvanized and Cast Iron Pipes and Florida Insurance
How to recognize polybutylene, galvanized and cast iron pipes, why Florida insurers ask about them, and what the 4-point form records about your water heater.
Certificate of Occupancy vs. Home Inspection in Florida
What a Florida certificate of occupancy and county permit inspections confirm, what they don't, and what a buyer's own inspection of a new home adds.
How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch?
What sets the price of a home inspection in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, a worked example from published prices, and the Florida add-ons buyers often need.
How Old Can a Roof Be for Insurance in Florida? What the Law Says
Florida insurers cannot refuse a roof under 15 years old on age alone. What s. 627.7011 says, how Citizens applies it, and why roof permit dates matter.
How to Read Your Wind Mitigation Form (OIR-B1-1802)
A plain-language walk through Florida's wind mitigation form OIR-B1-1802: what each question asks, what the answer letters mean, and how long the form is valid.