Engineering reports

Who is allowed to sign one

Not every inspection produces an engineering report. What makes a document one is the signature and seal of a professional licensed to give that opinion, usually a Professional Engineer (PE), sometimes an architect depending on the work. That license exists for a reason: it certifies that the person applying judgment to your building has met a state's education, experience, and exam requirements.

"Professional engineering and surveying licensure helps ensure that individuals practice in a manner that protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public by satisfying qualifications in education, work experience, and exams."

Source: Licensure, NCEES

A contractor can build from a sealed engineering report. In most states a contractor cannot write one, at least not for anything beyond a small dwelling. See Engineer vs architect vs contractor for where that line sits.

What the report has to say

Exact required contents vary by state and by which inspection program triggered the report; there is no single national template. But two elements show up repeatedly in programs built to catch dangerous conditions early: a statement of current condition, and an explicit answer to whether that condition threatens health or safety right now.

"...presents an immediate threat to the health and safety of the residents."

Source: Senate Bill 326, enacting California Civil Code 5551, California Legislative Information

"Property owners must submit written recertification reports prepared by a Florida-registered professional engineer or architect."

Source: 40-Year (Building Recertification) Program, Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources

What a report must say, and who it must be sent to, differs by state, county, and program. Check your own state's inspection statute or your county's recertification rules before assuming any of this applies to your building.

What the board does with it

The board's job is not to grade the engineering. A licensed professional has already applied their judgment; a board that starts arguing with a finding it dislikes is disputing a determination the professional, not the board, is legally accountable for.

The board's job is to route the report to the right people fast, read it for what it actually says rather than a summary someone gave verbally (see Understanding deficiency reports), decide what gets fixed first (see Prioritizing findings), and keep the report and everything that happens after it in the association's permanent file (see Documenting completed repairs).

If a report finds an immediate threat, do not wait for the next scheduled board meeting. In at least one state, that finding is required to reach local code enforcement within days of the report being written, independent of anything the board chooses to do. See When a condition becomes an emergency.