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INDEPENDENT WORKSReserve Studies & Insurance Appraisals

Reserve studies your association can depend on.

SIRS, reserve studies, and insurance appraisals for condo and HOA boards, prepared by Margery J. Schultz, RS. Serving Florida and California, plus six more states.

Request a Proposal or call (727) 204-6000

We respond to every proposal request within 24 hours.

Margery J. Schultz, founder of Independent Works, LLC

Prepared by Margery J. Schultz · Reserve Specialist (RS)

Inspecting buildings since 2008 · 3,500+ reports

About Margery →

Street-level view looking up at three Miami high-rise condominium towers

Serving Florida and California, plus Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, and New Jersey.

What does your association need?

Three services. One named professional. A fixed-fee proposal for each.

  1. Beachfront condominium tower with stacked balconies and glass facade seen from the sand

    Structural Integrity Reserve Study

    Florida's required study of the eight structural and life-safety components of condo and co-op buildings with three or more floors people live or work on. Required at least every 10 years.

    SIRS details →
  2. Clay tile roof in the foreground with twin oceanfront condominium towers behind

    Reserve Study

    A full component inventory and 30-year funding plan for everything your association maintains, from roofs and paving to pools and elevators, so capital projects are funded instead of assessed.

    Reserve study details →
  3. Aston Martin Residences tower on the Miami waterfront with yachts in the foregroundWaterfront lobby seating and pool area at Aston Martin Residences in Miami

    Insurance Appraisal

    An independent estimate of what it would cost to rebuild your property. Florida condominiums need one at least every 36 months to set adequate coverage.

    Appraisal details →

    Featured project: Aston Martin Residences, Miami — one of the many luxury high-rise associations we’ve served. View project →

Florida SIRS — last reviewed

The first SIRS deadline has passed. The next one is December 31, 2026.

Condo and co-op associations run by their owners had until December 31, 2025 to finish their first structural integrity reserve study. Those doing it with a required milestone inspection have until December 31, 2026. If yours isn’t done, start now. Site visits and reports take time to schedule.

Read the Florida SIRS rules in plain English →
SituationDeadline
Owner-run association existing on or before July 1, 2022December 31, 2025 (passed)
SIRS done together with a milestone inspection due on or before Dec 31, 2026December 31, 2026
Developer-controlled buildingBefore turnover to unit owners
Every qualifying building, ongoingAt least every 10 years

Where we work

  • Florida

    SIRS, reserve studies and insurance appraisals for condo, co-op and HOA boards.

    Florida details →

  • California

    Reserve studies and SB 326 balcony inspection support for HOA boards.

    California details →

Your study is prepared by a named professional, not a call center.

Margery J. Schultz, founder of Independent Works, LLC

Independent Works is Margery Schultz’s firm.

She studied architecture at Florida International University. She has inspected buildings since 2008 and written more than 3,500 reports. You know who is looking at your building.

Credentials: Reserve Specialist (RS)

Why independence matters

A reserve study sets numbers a board has to adopt and defend to owners. Those numbers should come from someone whose only job is to get them right.

Florida requires a firm that bids on the SIRS to disclose in writing if it plans to bid on the repairs the study recommends. We prepare studies and appraisals. Our only interest is getting your numbers right.

From request to final report

  1. RequestSend the form or call. We confirm the building details and your deadline.
  2. ProposalA fixed-fee proposal with scope and schedule.
  3. Document reviewWe gather prior studies, budgets, plans, and maintenance records.
  4. Site visitA visual inspection of the common elements.
  5. Draft reportA draft for the board and manager to review, with a walkthrough call.
  6. Final reportFinal signed report, ready for your budget and for state reporting where required.

Board questions we answer most

What is a structural integrity reserve study?
A structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) is a reserve study Florida requires for condo and co-op buildings with three or more floors people live or work on. It starts with a visual inspection. It estimates how long each of eight structural and life-safety components will last and what each will cost to replace. Then it sets the yearly reserves needed to pay for them.
What is the Florida SIRS deadline?
Associations that existed on or before July 1, 2022, and where the developer had handed control to the owners, had to finish their first SIRS by December 31, 2025. Some associations must also finish a milestone inspection on or before December 31, 2026. They may combine the two, and then the SIRS deadline is December 31, 2026.
What's the difference between a reserve study and a SIRS?
A SIRS covers only the eight structural and life-safety categories, for condo and co-op buildings with three or more floors people live or work on. A full reserve study covers every component the association maintains, from paving and pools to elevators and interiors. Many Florida condominiums need both, often combined in one engagement.
How often does a Florida condo need an insurance appraisal?
Florida condominium associations must carry adequate property insurance based on the replacement cost of the property, determined by an independent insurance appraisal or an update of a prior appraisal at least once every 36 months, under Florida Statutes 718.111(11).
See all questions →

What boards say

  • ★★★★★

    “Margery was a pleasure to work with, she was very thorough. She took the time to explain everything with the SIRS calculations. There is so much that goes into these reserve studies and she did a great job and made it very easy to read and understand.”
    Donna C., Google review

  • ★★★★★

    “Margery truly went above and beyond for my condo. She was even happy to recalc for us once we made some small budgetary changes. The reserve and SIRS reserve packages were incredibly easy to understand and looked great!”
    Cody K., Google review

  • ★★★★★

    “Fills a much needed service of reserve studies and inspections. Great communicator, quick turnaround.”
    Suzanne K., Google review
Read more reviews on Google (opens in a new tab) →

Request a proposal

(727) 204-6000

Four short fields are enough to start. We’ll send a fixed-fee proposal and a realistic schedule.

Reply time
24 hours

We respond to every proposal request within 24 hours. No obligation. We never share your information.

Call (727) 204-6000Request a Proposal