“Roland walked every inch of the property before we made an offer. He found two unpermitted additions the seller never disclosed. We negotiated $18,000 off the price before we even got to inspection. A regular agent would have missed all of it.”
Most Realtors tell you to get a home inspection. A licensed General Contractor with more than 20 years of South Florida construction experience reads that inspection report — and helps convert major findings into realistic repair questions, cost ranges, and negotiation strategy before you decide what to pay. This hub collects every construction assessment guide on this site.
Whether you're buying your first home, investing in multifamily properties, or exploring FHA financing options, schedule a free consultation with Roland Ruiz — the only Realtor in South Florida with 20+ years as a licensed General Contractor.
A standard home inspector checks hundreds of items and writes a report. A licensed General Contractor reads that report and converts every finding into a dollar amount. When a home inspector writes "electrical panel shows evidence of aluminum wiring," a standard agent reads "electrical issue." Roland reads "$14,000 full rewire to copper if Al wiring is throughout — or $1,500–$4,000 for CO/ALR device remediation if that's the appropriate fix." That number changes the negotiation.
South Florida's specific construction challenges — older electrical panels that can raise insurance questions, aging shingle roofs that may trigger underwriting review, cast iron drain lines that often need camera-scope confirmation, and seawalls on waterfront properties that many buyers never check — are exactly the issues more than 20 years of GC work in this market teaches you to ask about before you commit to a purchase.
Electrical panel identification — Federal Pacific, Zinsco, aluminum wiring, undersized service. These determine insurability. Found before the offer, they're negotiating leverage. Found after closing, they're your expense.
Roof age and material assessment — Permit record pull to verify replacement date. Remaining useful life estimate. Insurance premium implication at current age. Replacement cost range specific to this property's size and type.
Plumbing material identification — Polybutylene pipe (insurance disqualifier), galvanized steel (corrosion risk), cast iron drains (camera scope recommended). The material is in the walls — but its age and condition are readable if you know what to look for.
Permit record review — Every county permit pulled on the property. Open permits, expired permits, unpermitted additions all appear — or conspicuously don't appear — in the public record. Takes 10 minutes. Prevents five-figure post-closing surprises.
The roof can strongly affect insurance review, 4-point inspection questions, and financing conversations. In South Florida, an aging roof does not automatically mean “walk away,” but it should trigger a repair, replacement, credit, or concession conversation before you make the offer. Understanding the likely cost range before you offer is part of the GC advantage.
Unpermitted additions, open permits, and Notices of Violation can create serious closing, title, financing, insurance, and resale questions. A buyer who closes without checking permit records may inherit expensive problems from prior work. In South Florida's active renovation market, permit review belongs early in the purchase process — not at the last minute.
Even brand-new construction benefits from GC-trained oversight. A pre-drywall inspection is the opportunity to see framing, rough electrical, rough plumbing, HVAC runs, insulation, and installation details before they disappear behind drywall. If you are considering a DR Horton or other new-construction community, call before visiting the sales office so buyer-representation rules and builder-registration requirements can be handled correctly.
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Take The Homebuyer Qualification Quiz ›Every guide in the Contractor's Eye series was written by Roland Ruiz — a South Florida licensed General Contractor with more than 20 years of hands-on construction, renovation, and inspection experience across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Collier counties. Roland holds a Florida real estate license and operates as a Real Estate Advisor at Keller Williams Premier Properties.
The GC assessment described in these guides is not theoretical — it reflects the type of pre-offer walkthrough and construction review Roland provides for buyer-representation clients when he represents them in the transaction. Compensation can depend on the transaction, seller, builder, and buyer-broker agreement. Call before making an offer on any South Florida property.
“Roland walked every inch of the property before we made an offer. He found two unpermitted additions the seller never disclosed. We negotiated $18,000 off the price before we even got to inspection. A regular agent would have missed all of it.”
“Having Roland at the pre-drywall inspection was a game changer. He caught framing issues in two bedrooms that DR Horton's own inspectors missed. They corrected everything before drywall went up. That's something you cannot fix after the fact.”
“We stacked Hometown Heroes with Miami-Dade PHCD assistance and closed with $4,200 out of pocket on a $415,000 duplex. Roland structured the whole thing — the financing, the DPA applications, the GC assessment of the rental unit. We're already cash flowing.”
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Contractor-informed buyer guidance. Roland brings a contractor-informed eye to buyer education. He can help you understand inspection issues, repair context, and which licensed professional should verify each item.
A repair concern rarely stands alone. Use these guides to connect condition, payment, location, and property type before you decide.
