Fire Damage Shoring Drawings in Florida

After a fire, a building is often more fragile than it looks. Before anyone can safely assess or repair it, the damaged structure usually has to be shored, and your local building department will want signed and sealed drawings to permit both the stabilization and the repairs. Fire damage shoring drawings are the engineered plans that make that possible. This guide explains why they are needed, what they include, and how quickly you can get them.

Studio A Engineering prepares fire damage shoring drawings for property owners and contractors across Florida. If you have a damaged building that needs to be made safe, call 305-890-6333 or send the address and a few photos.

Why a fire-damaged building needs shoring

Fire does more than burn finishes. Heat reduces the strength of concrete and steel, causes concrete to spall and crack, and can leave elevated slabs, beams, and columns carrying far less than they were designed to. A structure that is still standing may not be safe to occupy or even to walk through. Temporary shoring transfers those loads to a safe path so the building can be inspected and repaired without a collapse. That is why fire damage shoring drawings come first, before repair work begins.

What fire damage shoring drawings include

A complete set of fire damage shoring drawings is more than a sketch. Ours include:

• An assessment of what the fire-damaged structure can still safely support
• A shoring design that stabilizes the affected elevated slabs, beams, and columns
• Sealed plans and sections with member sizes, loads, and bracing details
• The notes and specifications your building department expects for permitting
• A sequence that keeps the structure supported while repairs are carried out

This work is closely related to our broader shoring design services, which cover sealed shoring drawings for elevated-slab construction and repair across Florida.

The permitting process for fire-damaged buildings

Most Florida jurisdictions will not permit repairs to a fire-damaged building until a licensed engineer has sealed the drawings that show how the structure will be stabilized. In practice, that means two permitting steps often run together: the shoring that makes the building safe, and the repair or restoration that follows. Fire damage shoring drawings sealed by a Professional Engineer cover the first step and set up the second. The engineering follows recognized standards, including OSHA’s concrete and masonry construction requirements and your local amendments to the Florida Building Code.

How fast can you get shoring drawings after a fire?

These situations are urgent, and we treat them that way. Turnaround depends on the size of the building and the information available, but we prioritize damage-related work and schedule around your deadline. To start, we need the building’s address, a few photos of the damage, and any existing drawings or as-builts you have. From there we can tell you what your fire damage shoring drawings will involve and how quickly we can deliver them.

Why choose Studio A Engineering

Studio A Engineering is a licensed Florida structural firm with more than 30 years of experience, led by a registered Professional Engineer (PE 61808) and Special Structural Threshold Inspector (#7026221). Because we design shoring and inspect it in the field, our fire damage shoring drawings reflect what actually passes review and works on site. For related reading, see our guide to shoring design vs. shoring inspection and our full structural engineering services.

Fire damage shoring FAQs

Do I need an engineer to shore a fire-damaged building?

Yes. A licensed engineer has to assess the remaining capacity and seal the shoring drawings your building department requires before stabilization and repairs can be permitted.

Can you assess the building before designing the shoring?

Yes. We evaluate what the structure can still support, then design the shoring around that. The assessment and the fire damage shoring drawings go together.

What information do you need to start?

The building’s address, photos of the damage, and any existing drawings or as-builts. For urgent cases, the address and photos are enough to begin.

Do you handle storm and impact damage too?

Yes. The same approach applies to buildings damaged by storms, vehicle impact, or partial collapse: stabilize first with sealed shoring drawings, then permit the repairs.

Need shoring drawings for a fire-damaged building?

Send us the address and photos and we will tell you what it takes to make the structure safe and permit-ready. Call 305-890-6333 or request a proposal.