Failed a Building Inspection in Florida? Here's What to Do

A failed building inspection is frustrating — but it doesn't have to stall your project for weeks. How you respond in the first hours after a failed inspection determines how quickly you get back on track.

Step 1: Read the Report Carefully

Every failed inspection produces a written report. Before doing anything else, read it completely. The report should identify the specific code section violated, what was observed, and what is needed to pass. If the report is a bare code citation with no explanation, call the inspector or your private provider contact immediately.

Step 2: Determine What's Required

Some failed inspections require physical remediation — exposed wiring not properly protected, a drain not pressure tested, framing not completed before inspection was called. Others are documentation failures — missing product approval submittals, no energy compliance form on site. Documentation failures can often be corrected within hours without any physical work.

Step 3: Schedule Re-Inspection Immediately

This is where private provider and municipal inspections diverge dramatically. With a municipal re-inspection, you go back to the queue — which may mean another 1–3 week wait in high-volume markets. With Tew & Taylor, re-inspections are scheduled promptly. Once the correction is made, contact your coordinator and we schedule the re-inspection same-day or next-day.

Step 4: Document the Correction

For any physical correction, document it with timestamped photos before the re-inspection. This protects you if the issue is disputed or if a different inspector is assigned to the re-inspection.

How Private Providers Reduce Failed Inspections

The best way to manage a failed inspection is to prevent it. Tew & Taylor's inspectors communicate directly with your project coordinator. Issues are documented clearly and the correction path communicated the same day — not surfaced weeks later through a portal message.