In a concurring opinion, Florida’s First District Court of Appeal recently affirmed disciplinary action taken by Florida’s Board of Architecture against a Venezuelan architect who did not have a Florida architect’s license, but was nonetheless using the term “architect” on his website.
Read moreFlorida Appellate Court Affirms $174,377.38 Construction Lien Claim In Favor of Interior Designer
Earlier this year, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal affirmed a final judgment in favor of an interior designer who served as an owner’s representative and oversaw renovations at the owner’s condominium while he was out of the country. The appellate decision, and underlying trial court order, do a good job of showing how designers can distinguish themselves from contractors for the purpose of complying with licensing and construction lien laws.
Read moreNew Statute Limits Liability for Engineers and Architects Voluntarily Participating in Emergency Response Activities
Earlier this week, Governor DeSantis signed into law a statute that provides a full limitation of liability for any licensed engineer or architect providing engineering or architectural services in response to an emergency and at the direction of a government emergency management agency. This statute also applies to out of state engineers or architects who are rendering help as part of a mobile support unit from that state.
Read moreCourt Rules Subcontractor Entitled to Payment for Extra Work Due to Ambiguities in Scope of Work Provision
A case decided in Florida last week saw a court side with a site development contractor over a $33.000 dispute based on whether the original contract included certain demolition and replacement of portions of a parking lot due to an imprecise description of work. The court’s ruling does a great job of walking through many of the consideration general contractors and subcontractors need to take into account when starting a project.
Read moreContractors Are Heavily Regulated, Licensed Professionals -- So Act Like It!
When comparing Florida contractors to other professions in the state, only medical professionals are more heavily regulated. General contractors are more regulated than most professions, from architects to veterinarians, and the industry should recognize this and adapt.
Read moreNew Florida Statute Brings Significant Changes to Architect and Interior Designer Licensing Requirements
On July 1, 2020, the Florida Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act became law in Florida, changing licensing requirements for many professions. Two of the professions impacted most by these changes are architecture and interior design. The majority of the changes relate to deregulating interior design and separating interior design from architecture.
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