Effective Date: 5/28/2020
Category: Inspections
CHARLOTTE COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTION COVID-19 PROCESS
Beginning Thursday, May 28, 2020, Charlotte County will resume building inspections in occupied dwelling units with certain precautions. The health of our citizens and employees are of the upmost importance and we are taking measures to keep everyone safe during this pandemic. Therefore, anyone requesting an inspection inside an occupied residential dwelling unit (single- family home, apartment, condo, duplex) will be asked some questions to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Before entering the dwelling unit, the inspector will ask the individual opening the door, who is 18 years of age or older, the following questions:
- Within the last 14 days, has anyone in this household experienced a new cough, shortness of breath or a temperature over 100.4 that you cannot attribute to another health condition?
- Within the last 14 days, has anyone in this household had close contact with someone who is currently sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19? (Note: Close contact is defined as within 6 feet for more than 10 consecutive minutes)
- Within the last 14 days has anyone in this household traveled Internationally or traveled within the United States to areas of known for COVID-19 spread such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Louisiana? (These states are specifically mentioned in Florida’s Emergency Declaration)
If the individual answers “NO” to these questions, then the inspector may enter the dwelling unit as long as social distancing of 6 feet is observed by the occupants and contractors on site. The inspector will be required to wear a protective mask inside the dwelling.
If the individual answers “YES” to any of the questions, the building inspector will not be allowed into the dwelling unit. The inspection would then need to be rescheduled for a later date when the answers to the questions will be “NO”. If the inspector is unable to enter the dwelling unit, the contractor may utilize other options for the inspection:
- Virtual inspections are available for A/C changeouts, re-pipes and water heaters inside a dwelling unit. See instructions for virtual inspections on our website Microsoft Teams Contractor Instructions under the “Important Permitting Information of COVID-19” tab.
- An inspection report from a Florida licensed engineer or architect will be accepted upon review.
Inspections may be conducted within garages without the need of a questionnaire for electrical panels, water heaters, A/C changeouts, doors and windows at the inspector’s discretion. The occupant shall open the overhead door and remain in the home while the inspection is being conducted. If the garage contains laundry facilities, then the questionnaire must be used.
As an assurance to the occupants of the dwelling unit, any inspectors that can answer “Yes” to those same questions will not be conducting inspections.