Building Inspections

Required Building Inspections
(Also see Common Mistakes, below)

1.  Footing inspection: Footing inspections shall be made after the trenches are excavated, all grade stakes are installed, all reinforcing steel and supports are in place and tied, and all necessary forms are in place and braced before any concrete is placed.

2.  Under slab inspection (as appropriate): Under-slab inspections, as appropriate, shall be made after all materials and equipment to be concealed by the concrete slab are completed.

3.  Foundation inspection: Foundation and crawl space inspections shall be made after all foundation supports are installed. 

4.  Rough-in inspection: Rough-in inspections shall be made when all building framing and parts of the electrical, plumbing, fire protection, or heating-ventilation or cooling system that will be hidden from view in the finished building have been placed, but before any wall, ceiling finish, or building insulation is installed. Rough-in inspections are trade specific, and a project may require multiple rough-in inspections based upon the trades (building, fire, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing) that are involved.

5.  Building framing inspection: Framing inspections shall be made after the roof (excluding permanent roof covering), wall ceiling, and floor framing is complete with appropriate blocking, bracing, and fire stopping in place.

The following items shall be in place and visible for the building framing inspection:

1. Pipes;

2. Chimneys and vents;

3. Flashing for roofs and chimneys;

4. Insulation baffles; and

5. All lintels that are required to be bolted to the framing for support shall not be covered by any exterior or interior wall or ceiling finish material before approval. Work may continue without approval for lintels supported on masonry or concrete.

6.  Insulation inspection: Insulation inspections shall be made after an approved building framing and rough-in inspection and after the permanent roof covering is installed, with all insulation and vapor retarders in place, but before any wall or ceiling covering is applied.

7.  Fire protection inspection: Fire protection inspections shall be made in all buildings where any material is used for fire protection purposes. The permit holder or his agent shall notify the inspection department after all fire protection materials are in place. Fire protection materials shall not be concealed until inspected and approved by the code enforcement official.

8.  Final inspection: Final inspections shall be made for each trade after completion of the work authorized under the technical codes.

Common Mistakes Identified During a Building Inspection

• Not ready or out of sequence
• Address is not visible or posted
• Termite protection certification is not provided
• Footing not 12 inches below grade
• Footing is not free of all roots, loose dirt or other debris
• Footing has water or mud
• Crawl space is not covered with poly
• Plans and/or truss details missing/incorrect
• Load points missing/incorrect
• Fire stopping and/or draft stopping missing/incorrect
• Truss bracing missing/incorrect
• Engineered truss design is missing or not installed per design
• Rafter ties missing
• Drilling and over notching of joists and plates
• Riser heights incorrect on stairs
• Hangers missing/not nailed properly
• Anchor bolts missing/incorrect
• Improper nailing of headers and beams
• Fire blocking is missing
• Top plate has holes that are not sealed
• Handrails on stairways missing or at incorrect height
• Guardrails missing or incorrect height
• Smoke detector missing or not installed correctly
• Carbon monoxide detector not installed

Common Mistakes Identified During an Insulation Inspection

• Paper backing cannot be used in concealed spaces
• Must have vapor barrier behind bathtubs/showers on exterior walls
• Windows and door must have insulation in all voids
• Must have depth markers in attic
• Must have "R" value documentation for blown-in insulation
• Builder must mount the insulation certificate indicating all insulation values for the home