The study fee
Published Florida prices put a SIRS at about $5,000 to $16,500 for each qualifying building. Large towers, oceanfront exposure and complicated structures can run above the top of that range. These figures come from firms' and cost guides' published prices, not from a trade body or agency, because none publishes fee ranges. Treat them as a guide, not a quote.
What moves the fee
- Number of buildings. The statute applies per building of three habitable stories or more, and so do most quotes.
- Height and size. More floors, more roof, more facade, more risers to count.
- Exposure. Salt air and storm history mean more to inspect on concrete, balconies and openings.
- Extras on the list. A parking deck, seawall or cooling tower can add an item h line.
- What already exists. A recent milestone or county inspection can replace the SIRS visual inspection, and good drawings and maintenance records shorten the site visit.
- Who signs. An engineer's verification can cost more than an analyst-only study, and may be worth it on a building with structural findings.
- Combined scope. Adding the non-SIRS components for a full reserve study raises the fee but saves a second visit.
One building, worked through
The figures below are invented to show the arithmetic. They are not from a real association or a real study.
| Height | 8 habitable stories |
|---|---|
| Units | 72 |
| Finished | 1994 |
| Setting | Under a mile from the Gulf |
| Extras | Attached parking deck, one fire pump |
Our estimator places a building like this a little below the middle of the published range, about $8,500 to $12,300. Eight stories, salt exposure and a parking deck add time; a single building and a recent milestone report save some.
| Item | Cost | Years left | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| a RoofFull membrane replacement | $540,000 | 9 | $60,000 |
| b StructureConcrete restoration, balconies | $1,260,000 | 14 | $90,000 |
| c Fire protectionAlarm panel, fire pump, sprinkler heads | $330,000 | 11 | $30,000 |
| d PlumbingRiser repiping | $1,080,000 | 18 | $60,000 |
| e ElectricalSwitchgear and meter centers | $420,000 | 14 | $30,000 |
| f Waterproofing and paintCoatings, sealants, repaint | $360,000 | 6 | $60,000 |
| g Windows and doorsImpact windows and sliders | $1,440,000 | 24 | $60,000 |
| h Other over $25,000Parking deck traffic membrane | $195,000 | 13 | $15,000 |
Each line divides the cost by the years left: $540,000 for a roof with 9 years to go is $60,000 a year. Added up, that is $405,000 a year, or about $469 per unit per month if every unit pays an equal share. Real declarations often split by unit size, so the per-unit figure varies.
A real funding plan differs in three ways. It starts from the reserve balance the association already holds, which lowers the figure. It adds inflation, which raises it. And the statute's baseline plan only needs to keep the balance above zero each year, which allows a lower path than the straight line shown here. The funding page explains the options.
Getting comparable proposals
Fees only compare when the scope matches. Tell every firm the same things: number of qualifying buildings and stories, units, year built, whether a milestone report exists, whether you want the SIRS alone or a full reserve study with the SIRS set apart, and who you want to sign. The quote form below asks for most of this.