Inspectors, Owner’s Reps, and Virtual Site Visits
Once construction starts, the hardest part of building from out of state is knowing what’s actually happening on your lot. Photos from the builder help, but they show what the builder chooses to show. Remote owners do best when several independent sets of eyes are checking the work, plus a steady flow of updates they can verify. This is part five of our series on building a Florida home from out of state.
Short version: Three kinds of inspection happen on a typical build, and they do different jobs. County inspections check minimum code compliance. Lender draw inspections confirm progress for the money. Your own inspector or owner’s representative checks quality and looks out for you. You can follow county inspection results on most Central Florida permit portals. Florida also lets the owner hire a private provider, a licensed engineer, architect, or building code administrator, to do plan review and inspections in place of the building department. Private providers can inspect virtually, and building departments have been allowed to do virtual inspections since 2021. Hire a licensed home inspector or engineer for key stages, especially before the drywall goes up. An owner’s representative can be your eyes on site, but they advise you and shouldn’t direct the trades. If you set up a job-site camera, be careful with audio: Florida requires consent from all parties to record a private conversation.
Three kinds of inspection, three different jobs
| Inspection | Who it works for | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| County or private provider code inspection | The public | Minimum compliance with the Florida Building Code at required stages |
| Lender draw inspection | The lender | That work matching the draw request is in place |
| Your inspector or owner’s rep | You | Quality, workmanship, and whether the build matches your plans and contract |
Passing a code inspection means the work meets the minimum standard, not that it’s done well. See Florida building permits and construction loans and draws.
Follow the county inspections online
Most Central Florida counties and cities have online permit portals where you can look up your permit number. They show which inspections have been scheduled, passed, or failed, and any notes the inspector left. Check after each inspection. A failed inspection isn’t unusual, but you want to know about it and see it re-inspected before the next draw.
Florida’s 2021 law, Chapter 2021-212, authorized building departments to perform virtual inspections. Whether yours offers them, and for which stages, depends on the department.
The private provider option
Under Florida Statute 553.791, the property owner can hire a private provider at any time for plan review, inspections, or both, instead of relying on the building department. Your contractor can hire one only with your explicit written authorization. Key points:
- Who qualifies: a licensed building code administrator, engineer, or architect. A provider can’t inspect work their own firm designed or built.
- Notice: the building department must get written notice on the state form, either with the permit application or by 2 p.m., 2 business days before the first scheduled inspection.
- Virtual inspections: private providers may inspect in person or virtually, and local agencies generally can’t block virtual inspections unless the code prohibits them.
- Fees: the local permit fee must be reduced by the cost savings, though you pay the provider separately.
A private provider can speed up scheduling and give you an inspector you’ve chosen. They’re still doing code inspections, though, so they don’t replace your own quality inspections.
Hire your own inspector for key stages
In Florida, anyone who performs home inspections for a fee must be a licensed home inspector under Chapter 468. Some remote owners use a licensed engineer instead, especially for structural questions. Check either license on DBPR’s license search. Useful stages for your own inspector include:
- Foundation or slab: before or right after the pour, when problems are still fixable.
- Pre-drywall: framing, roof-to-wall connections, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, while everything is still visible. This is the most valuable one.
- Final, before closing: a full inspection to build your punch list.
- Before the warranty ends: a check shortly before any builder warranty period runs out.
Put your right to third-party inspections, with reasonable notice, in the construction contract. Some builders restrict site access. See vetting and hiring a Florida builder remotely and the home inspection checklist.
Hiring an owner’s representative
An owner’s representative is someone you hire to look after your interests during the build. For an out-of-state owner, they’re often the difference between hearing about a problem in time and hearing about it after the drywall is up.
- What they typically do: visit the site regularly, attend key meetings, review draw requests and change orders, track the schedule and budget, and send you written reports with photos.
- What to look for: real residential construction experience, ideally as a licensed contractor, engineer, or inspector. No financial ties to your builder. A written scope of services and fee. Their own insurance.
- Where the line is: they advise and report to you. Directing the trades or supervising construction is the licensed contractor’s job, and doing it for pay can require a contractor’s license. They’re also not a substitute for an owner-builder’s personal supervision.
- Make it official: tell the builder in writing who your rep is and what they’re authorized to do, such as approving draws or only reporting. Consider naming them as your Florida contact on the Notice of Commencement. See protecting yourself from construction liens.
Virtual site visits that actually tell you something
- Scheduled live video walkthroughs: a set day each week or at each milestone, where you can ask the superintendent to point the camera where you want.
- A photo standard: date-stamped photos from the same spots each time, plus close-ups of things that will be hidden later. That includes plumbing and electrical runs, hurricane straps and anchors, window flashing, and insulation.
- One shared folder: photos, inspection results, change orders, draw packages, and lien waivers all in one place.
- A short written update: what was done, what’s next, any problems, and any decisions needed from you.
Job-site cameras: a time-lapse or security camera can show you activity, deliveries, and progress. Be careful with audio. Under Florida Statute 934.03, intercepting or recording a private oral conversation generally requires the consent of everyone in it, and a violation can be a third-degree felony. Video-only cameras, clear notice, and an agreement with your builder avoid most problems.
When to be there in person
Even a well-run remote build benefits from a couple of trips. The most useful are a pre-drywall walkthrough, when you can see your outlets, plumbing, and layout before they’re closed up, and the final walkthrough before closing. If you can only make one trip, make it pre-drywall. Closing out the job is covered in closing out and moving in.
Red flags while you’re away
- Updates that stop, or photos that never show the areas you ask about
- Failed county inspections you hear about only from the permit portal
- Resistance to your inspector or owner’s rep visiting the site
- Drywall going up before your pre-drywall inspection
- Draw requests that get ahead of what the photos show
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Many owners hire a licensed home inspector or engineer for key stages, especially pre-drywall. Put your right to third-party inspections in the construction contract.
A licensed engineer, architect, or building code administrator the owner hires to do code plan review or inspections in place of the building department. The building department must be notified, and the local permit fee must be reduced by the cost savings.
Yes. A 2021 law authorized building departments to perform virtual inspections, and private providers may inspect virtually. Availability for specific stages depends on the department.
They act as your eyes on site: visiting regularly, reviewing draws and change orders, tracking schedule and budget, and reporting to you. They advise you and shouldn’t direct the trades, which is the licensed contractor’s job.
Generally yes for video, but be careful with audio. Florida law generally requires everyone’s consent to record a private conversation. Video-only cameras and an agreement with your builder are the safer approach.
Sources
- Florida Statutes, Section 553.791: Alternative plans review and inspection (private providers)
- Florida Senate, HB 667 (2021), Chapter 2021-212: Virtual inspections
- Florida Statutes, Section 468.8311: Home inspection definitions
- Florida Statutes, Section 934.03: Interception of communications
- Florida DBPR: License verification
This article is for general informational purposes only and isn’t financial, legal, insurance, or tax advice – for guidance specific to your situation, talk to a licensed professional.