Document the condition
Write down where it is, when you first saw it, whether it tracks with rain or AC cycles, and anything already attempted. A few photos and a tape-measure reading go a long way in the first call.
Read the local context
West Palm Beach spans historic bungalow blocks, postwar CBS neighborhoods, canal-front estates, and new construction downtown, and each responds differently to a South Florida wet season. A plan should name which category the home falls into before pricing anything.
Ask what will be hidden
Once the wall goes back together, the prep work and verification underneath it disappear from view — which is exactly why the written scope needs to spell out what happens before that point, not just the finish work at the end.
Compare complete scopes
Look for protection, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, restoration, exclusions, warranties, and change-order rules.
What official local sources add
The city's planning office reviews changes inside the historic districts, and FEMA flood mapping touches much of the ground near the Intracoastal and its connecting canals. Confirm a parcel's historic designation, flood zone, and elevation requirements before assuming what a permit will allow.
Sources were reviewed June 22, 2026. Confirm parcel-specific flood zones, historic-district status, permits, and current requirements with the relevant authority before authorizing work.