Most South Florida homes already have a storm record. It sits in county files: the year the home was built and the building code it was built under, the permits pulled for its roof and windows. Almost no homeowner has ever seen it assembled in one place.
Florida Safe Home, a South Florida company that matches homeowners with reviewed local contractors, today launched the Storm Readiness Report, a free online tool that turns a home's available public records into a short, plain-language report. A homeowner enters an address, answers three quick questions, and gets the report — no account, no sales call, no obligation. The report is available for homes across Florida, with building-permit history included for Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Florida Safe Home plans to add more permit data over time.
The need is not small. In Miami-Dade alone, about 70% of homes were built before 1990 — before the stricter building code adopted after Hurricane Andrew, according to an analysis by FIU's Metropolitan Center. Those homes' records often tell a very different storm story than their owners assume.
What the report shows
- Building-code era — whether the home was built under the strengthened South Florida Building Code adopted after Hurricane Andrew (in effect in Miami-Dade and Broward since 1994) or under Florida's statewide building code (2002) — the same dividing lines wind-mitigation inspectors use.
- Permit history — major permitted work found in the home's records, such as roof and window projects, where permit records are available.
- Roof and openings — age indicators and protection details found in the home's records for its most storm-exposed surfaces.
- Backup power — whether standby power appears in the home's record.
The report also speaks to a second deadline Florida homeowners face every year: insurance. Florida law requires insurers to offer premium discounts for verified wind-mitigation features. A homeowner who can see what their records say — roof age, permits, and code era — is in a far better position before scheduling a wind-mitigation inspection or renewing a policy.
“That information was never secret. It was just scattered across county systems in a format no homeowner could use,” said David Phillips, Founder of Florida Safe Home. “We put it in one place, in plain English, for free — because a family that can see its home clearly can prepare calmly. That's the whole idea: clarity, not fear.”
Florida Safe Home is not a contractor and does not perform construction work. Homeowners who choose to act on their report can request a match with a reviewed local contractor — including impact window and door specialists and roofing companies serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. The company's education library, including guides on wind-mitigation inspections and hurricane deductibles, is free to read with no sign-up.
The timing is deliberate. The Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30, and the months after it are when South Florida homeowners schedule the impact windows, roof work, and mitigation upgrades they put off all summer. Florida Safe Home's position is simple: the best time to read your home's record is before you need it.
Homeowners can get their free Storm Readiness Report at floridasafehome.com.
About Florida Safe Home
Florida Safe Home is an independent, privately owned company based in South Florida. It matches Florida homeowners with reviewed local contractors for storm-protection and home-improvement projects, and publishes free homeowner education on hurricane preparation, wind mitigation, and home records. Its guiding principle is "Safety, Security, Peace of Mind." Florida Safe Home is not a government agency, is not a contractor, and is not affiliated with the State of Florida's My Safe Florida Home program. Contractors can learn about joining the network at floridasafehome.com/pro
Media Contact
- David Phillips, Founder
- Florida Safe Home
- david@floridasafehome.com
- https://floridasafehome.com