Unpermitted Work Closure— What We Handle

The first step is to get a clear picture of exactly what unpermitted work exists on your property and what is required to legalize it. Do not assume — and do not call the building department yourself before understanding your options. Contacting the building department without a licensed contractor in place can trigger an immediate violation notice and start the fine clock before you are ready to resolve the issue.

Call AGK Construction & Roofing at (954) 807-3455 for a free on-site inspection. We assess all unpermitted work, cross-reference your property's permit records, determine exactly what needs to be done to legalize everything, and give you a clear written plan before you commit to anything. We then manage the entire resolution process — permits, corrections, inspections, and official closure — from start to finish.

Cost varies significantly based on the type of unpermitted work, the jurisdiction, whether corrections are needed, and the complexity of the permit application. Building department permit fees for after the fact permits are typically higher than standard permit fees — most Florida jurisdictions charge a penalty multiplier of 2x to 4x the standard fee for work done without a permit. Contractor fees for assessment, permit preparation, corrections, and inspection management are additional.

AGK Construction & Roofing provides a clear written estimate after the free on-site inspection — before you commit to any work. Total costs for straightforward cases such as a roof or window after the fact permit can start from a few thousand dollars. Complex cases involving structural additions, multiple trades, or significant code corrections can reach $8,000 and above. The inspection and estimate are always free.

Florida law requires sellers to disclose known material defects — and unpermitted work is a material defect. Beyond the legal disclosure obligation, open permits and code violations appear in every title search regardless of whether you disclose them. The title company will find them. The buyer's lender will require them to be resolved. And if you close without disclosure and the buyer later discovers the unpermitted work, you face significant legal liability.

The practical answer for South Florida sellers is: resolve the unpermitted work before listing. AGK Construction & Roofing handles after the fact permits proactively for sellers — before the listing goes on the market — protecting the sale price and eliminating closing complications entirely. It is almost always less expensive to resolve unpermitted work proactively than to deal with it as a closing condition under a deadline.

Under Florida law, code violations, open permits, and unpermitted work attach to the property — not the owner who created them. When you purchased the property, you assumed responsibility for all existing code compliance issues regardless of who caused them or when. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of South Florida real estate for buyers who discover unpermitted work after closing.

If the seller failed to disclose known unpermitted work, you may have a legal claim against the seller — but that does not change your immediate obligation to the building department. AGK Construction & Roofing handles the resolution process for buyers who inherited unpermitted work regularly. We work quickly to legalize the work and give you the documentation you need to close out your claim against the prior owner if applicable.

No — and this is one of the most significant financial risks of unpermitted work in South Florida. Florida homeowner's insurance policies typically exclude coverage for damage to unpermitted structures or systems. If you file a claim for damage to an unpermitted addition, a roof that was replaced without a permit, or plumbing that was modified without inspection, the insurer may deny the claim entirely — even if the unpermitted work is not directly related to the damage.

Additionally, during insurance renewals and wind mitigation inspections — which are increasingly common in South Florida — carriers flag unpermitted roofing and windows and can cancel or non-renew policies on properties with significant unpermitted work. Legalizing unpermitted work through AGK's after the fact permit process protects your coverage and ensures your insurance is valid when you need it.

The most important difference is the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) designation. Miami-Dade County is entirely within the HVHZ, meaning all roofing systems, impact windows, and exterior doors — including after the fact permit corrections — must use HVHZ-approved products that meet the most stringent wind-resistance standards in Florida. Using standard Florida-approved products on a Miami-Dade property that requires HVHZ products will fail inspection.

Additionally, each of the 35+ municipalities in Miami-Dade and Broward has its own building department with its own permit portal, documentation requirements, and inspection timelines. Filing with the wrong department — or using the wrong portal — results in rejected applications and weeks of wasted time. AGK knows every jurisdiction across both counties, verifies the correct department for every property, and submits correctly the first time.

Yes — and this is one of AGK's most important advantages for South Florida property owners. Most contractors can only pull after the fact permits in their specific licensed trade. If your property has unpermitted work across multiple trades — extremely common on older South Florida properties — you would normally need to hire separate contractors for each trade and manage multiple permit applications, inspection schedules, and closure timelines.

AGK Construction & Roofing holds four active Florida contractor licenses: Roofing (CCC-1335099), General Contractor (CGC-1534839), Plumbing (CFC-1434412), and Glass & Glazing (SCC-131153361). We legally perform, permit, and pass inspection for every trade under one contract — one property assessment, one coordinated permit submission, one final inspection, one closure document.