A. General: Construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the building official and the construction or work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved by the building official. In addition, certain types of construction shall have continuous inspection as specified in this section. Approval as a result of an inspection shall not be construed to be an approval of a violation of the provisions of this code or of other ordinances or laws. Inspections presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid. It shall be the duty of the permit applicant to cause the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the building official nor this jurisdiction shall be liable for expense entailed in the removal or replacement of any material required to allow inspection. A survey of the lot may be required by the building official to verify that the structure is located in accordance with the approved plans. Neither the building official nor the city shall be liable for expense entailed in the removal or replacement of any material required to allow inspection.
B. Demolition, Excavation, And Shoring Inspections: Reinforcing steel or structural framework of a part of a building or structure shall not be covered or concealed without first obtaining the approval of the building official. Protection of joints and penetrations in fire resistive assemblies shall not be concealed from view until inspected and approved.
The building official, upon notification, shall make the following inspections:
1. Demolition Inspection: To be made before demolition begins and after demolition is completed per approved plans but before construction, grading, or shoring is commenced.
2. Shoring And Excavation: To be made throughout and after shoring and excavations are complete and required before foundations are in place.
3. Basement And Subterranean Garage: To be made throughout and after the basement and subterranean footings and walls are in place.
C. Footing And Foundation Inspection: To be made after excavations for footings are complete and required reinforcing steel is in place. For concrete foundations, required forms shall be in place prior to inspection. All materials for the foundation shall be on the job, except when concrete is ready mixed in accordance with approved nationally recognized standards such as ASTM C 94, the concrete need not be on the job. When the foundation is to be constructed of approved treated wood, additional inspections may be required by the building official.
D. Concrete Slab Or Underfloor Inspection: To be made after in-slab and underfloor reinforcing steel and building service equipment, conduit, piping accessories and other ancillary equipment items are in place but before any concrete is placed or floor sheathing installed, including the subfloor.
E. Trades (Plumbing, Mechanical, Gas And Electrical Systems) Inspection: Rough inspection of plumbing, mechanical, gas and electrical systems shall be made prior to covering or concealment, before fixtures or appliances are set or installed, and prior to framing inspection.
F. Frame Inspection: To be made after the roof deck or sheathing, all framing, fire blocking and bracing are in place and all pipes, chimneys and vents to be concealed are complete and the rough electrical, plumbing, and heating wires, pipes and ducts are approved. Prior to rough framing inspection approval, and prior to final inspection approval, the city may verify conformity with applicable entitlements and zoning regulations. In buildings of Types IV-A, IV-B and IV-C, where connection fire-resistance ratings are provided by wood cover calculated to meet the requirements of section 2304.10.1, inspection of the wood cover shall be made after the cover is installed, but before any other coverings or finishes are installed.
G. Lath, Gypsum Board And Gypsum Panel Product Inspection: To be made after lath, gypsum board and gypsum panel products, interior and exterior, is in place but before plaster is applied or before gypsum board and gypsum panel projects joints and fasteners are taped and finished.
H. Fire And Smoke Resistant Penetrations: Protection of joints and penetrations in fire resistance rated assemblies, smoke barriers and smoke partitions shall not be concealed from view until inspected and approved. Prior to final approval, the city must witness a test of all fire smoke dampers.
I. Weatherproofing: To be made after exterior lathing, roofing, and other weather protection materials are in place but before plaster is applied. Where balconies or other elevated walking surfaces are exposed to water from direct or blowing rain, or irrigation, and the structural framing is protected by an impervious moisture barrier, all elements of the impervious moisture barrier system shall not be concealed until inspected and approved. An approved weatherproofing consultant must certify the installation of weatherproofing on all retaining walls which are adjacent to interior areas of the building. The consultant will not be required if the installer is certified in writing by the manufacturer. For all new construction and when required by the city, an approved weatherproofing consultant must certify that the weatherproofing elements of the building have been installed in accordance with the approved plans, all relevant codes, and per manufacturer's specifications. At a minimum, an inspection and report will be required before plastering begins and before final approval is granted.
J. Energy Efficiency Inspection: To be made before work is concealed or made inaccessible based at the point in time when adequate stages of construction for the selected method of code compliance. Inspections shall be made to determine compliance with energy code and shall include, but not be limited to, inspections for: envelope insulation R and U values, fenestration U value, duct system R value, and HVAC and water heating equipment efficiency.
K. Green Building Standards Inspection: To be made before work is concealed or made inaccessible based at the point in time when adequate stages of construction for the selected method of code compliance. Inspections shall be made to determine compliance with green building standards code and shall include, but not be limited to, inspections for site, parking, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, material conservation and resource efficiency, and environmental quality.
L. Other Inspections: In addition to the inspection specified, the building official is authorized to make or require other inspections of any construction work to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this code and other laws.
M. Site Grading/Landscaping: To be made before work is concealed or made inaccessible. Underground irrigation system shall be inspected before landscaping is installed. Planting compliant with this code needs to be installed prior to final approval.
N. Equipment Inspections: Equipment for which a permit is required by this code shall be inspected by the building official. Equipment intended to be concealed by a permanent portion of the building shall not be concealed until inspected and approved. When the installation of equipment is complete, an additional and final inspection shall be made. Equipment regulated by this code shall not be connected to the water, fuel or power supply, or sewer system until authorized by the building official. The requirements of this section shall not be considered to prohibit the operation of equipment installed to replace existing equipment serving an occupied portion of the building in the event a request for inspection of such equipment has been filed with the building official not more than forty eight (48) hours after the replacement work is completed, and before any portion of such equipment is concealed by permanent portions of the building.
O. Additional Required Inspections And Tests:
1. A preconstruction meeting with the city and the project personnel will be required prior to beginning any new building or when required by the city.
2. For all new construction and when required by the city, a licensed surveyor must certify that the location of the footing forms is per the approved plans before foundations can be poured. The surveyor must provide a plot plan showing precise dimensions to the property lines and the elevation of the forms as compared with the reference elevation shown on the approved plans.
3. For all new construction and when required by the city, a licensed surveyor must certify that the height of the building is in accordance with the approved plans. The surveyor must show the precise height of the building as compared with the reference elevation shown on the approved plans.
4. An approved weatherproofing consultant must certify the installation of weatherproofing on all retaining walls which are adjacent to interior areas of the building. The consultant will not be required if the installer is certified in writing by the manufacturer.
5. For all new construction and when required by the city, an approved weatherproofing consultant must certify that the weatherproofing elements of the building have been installed in accordance with the approved plans, all relevant codes, and per manufacturer's specifications. At a minimum, an inspection and report will be required before plastering begins and before final approval is granted.
6. Prior to final approval, a certified air balancer must provide a written report showing the air volumes for all elements of a commercial garage exhaust system or a commercial kitchen hood system.
7. Prior to final approval, the city must witness a test of all fire smoke dampers.
8. Prior to rough framing inspection approval, and prior to final inspection approval, the city may verify conformity with applicable entitlements and zoning regulations.
P. Final Inspection: To be made after finish grading and the building is completed and ready for occupancy.
Q. Special Inspections: In addition to the inspections required by this section, the owner, the engineer, the architect, or the person acting as the owner's agent shall employ one or more special inspectors who will provide inspections during construction as required in chapter 17 of the building code and which may also be required by the building official for work which, in the opinion of the building official, involves unusual hazards or conditions.
1. Special Inspector: The special inspector shall be a qualified person who shall demonstrate competence to the satisfaction of the building official, for inspecting the particular type of construction or operation requiring special inspections, and shall possess a current certification by an agency approved by the city.
a. Duties And Responsibilities Of The Special Inspector: The special inspector shall observe the work assigned for conformance with the approved design drawings and specifications.
The special inspector shall furnish inspection reports to the building official, the engineer or architect of record, and other designated persons. Discrepancies shall be brought to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction, then, if uncorrected, to the proper design authority and to the building official.
The special inspector shall submit a final signed report stating whether the work requiring special inspection was, to the best of the inspector's knowledge, in conformance with the approved plans and specifications and the applicable workmanship provision of these codes.
The special inspector employed on any work must be present during the execution of all the work the inspector has undertaken to inspect. The inspector shall notify the department of his or her commencement of inspection of a job and shall specify the type of inspection for which the inspector has been engaged. This notification shall be made not later than the last working day preceding such commencement of inspection. The inspector shall report to the job sufficiently in advance of construction to become familiar with the plans and to inspect all materials to be used or concealed within such work; the inspector shall inspect the construction, erection, placing or other use of such materials; and the inspector shall observe whether there is compliance with the applicable codes as to all of the foregoing. During the execution of the work, the inspector shall not undertake or engage in any other task or occupation which will interfere with the proper performance of his or her duties of inspection. The inspector shall report, as directed, to the director of building and safety, noting all violations of the applicable codes, which have occurred, and such other information as may be required. At the conclusion of his or her duties, on any project, which has been completed in accordance with this code, the inspector shall submit a report to the department setting forth the portion of the work the inspector inspected. The report shall be made on forms supplied by the department and shall be filed in the records of the department.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to authorize any special inspector to approve the placing of concrete, grout, masonry, or structural steel prior to the approval of the regular city building inspector.
Where, in the opinion of the department, the special inspector is negligent in the performance of the inspector's duties, the job shall be stopped until such time as the negligence is corrected and adequate inspection has been performed.
b. Continuous And Periodic Special Inspection:
(1) Continuous Special Inspection: Continuous special inspection means that the special inspector is on the site at all times observing the work requiring special inspection.
(2) Periodic Special Inspection: Some inspections may be made on a periodic basis and satisfy the requirements of continuous inspection, provided this periodic scheduled inspection is performed as outlined in the project plans and specifications and approved by the building official.
c. Approved Fabricators: Special inspections required by this section and elsewhere in this code or the technical codes shall not be required where the work is done on the premises of a fabricator registered and approved by the building official to perform such work without special inspection. The certificate of registration shall be subject to revocation by the building official if it is found that work done pursuant to the approval is in violation of the technical codes. The approved fabricator shall submit a certificate of compliance to the building official and to the engineer or architect of record stating that the work was performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. The approved fabricator's qualifications shall be contingent on compliance with the following:
(1) The fabricator has developed and submitted a detailed fabrication procedural manual reflecting key quality control procedures which will provide a basis for inspection control of workmanship and the fabricator plant.
(2) Verification of the fabricator's quality control capabilities, plant and personnel as outlined in the fabrication procedural manual shall be by an approved inspection or quality control agency.
(3) Periodic plant inspections shall be conducted by an approved inspection or quality control agency to monitor the effectiveness of the quality control program.
(4) It shall be the responsibility of the inspection or quality control agency to notify the approving authority in writing of any change to the procedural manual. Fabricator approval may be revoked for just cause. Reapproval of the fabricator shall be contingent on compliance with quality control procedures during the past year.
R. Structural Observation: Structural observation shall be provided in seismic design category D, E, or F as indicated in the building code.
S. Inspection Record: Work requiring a permit shall not be commenced until the permit holder or the agent of the permit holder shall have posted in a conspicuous place at the construction site a permit and inspection record such as to allow the building official conveniently to make the required entries regarding inspection of the work. The permit shall be posted in a location such that it is visible from the street. The permit, construction documents, and plans shall remain readily available on site until final approval has been granted by the building official. The requirements for posting and location of posting may be waived or modified by the building official as deemed necessary for the particular type of work.
Duplicate inspection cards may be issued upon payment of fees as established by city council resolution.
T. Inspection Requests: It shall be the duty of the person doing the work authorized by a permit to notify the building official that such work is ready for inspection. Failure to do so constitutes a violation of this administrative code. The building official may require that every request for inspection be filed at least one business day before such inspection is desired. Such requests shall be made in a manner deemed acceptable by the building official.
It shall be the duty of the person requesting any inspections required by this code to provide access to and means for inspection of the work.
Failure of a permit holder to schedule and undergo all required progress, final or other inspections by the division is a violation of this administrative code.
U. Approval Required: Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the building official. The building official, upon notification, shall make the requested inspection and shall either indicate that that portion of the construction is satisfactory as completed (which is referred to as a "successful inspection") or shall notify the permit holder or an agent of the permit holder wherein the same fails to comply with this code. Any portion of work that does not comply with the code shall be corrected and such portion shall not be covered or concealed until authorized by the building official.
All work and installations that are authorized by a permit shall not become lawful until a permit holder has obtained a final inspection approval from the division, which shall be in writing. There shall be a final inspection and approval of all buildings and structures when completed and ready for occupancy and use.
V. Reinspections: A reinspection fee may be assessed for each inspection or reinspection when such portion of work for which inspection is called is not complete or when corrections called for are not made. This section is not to be interpreted as requiring reinspection fees the first time a job is rejected for failure to comply with the requirements of this code, but as controlling the practice of calling for inspections before the job is ready for such inspection or reinspection.
Reinspection fees may be assessed when the inspection record card is not posted or otherwise available on the work site, the approved plans are not readily available to the inspector, for failure to provide access on the date for which inspection is requested, or for deviating from plans requiring the approval of the building official. To obtain a reinspection, the applicant shall file an application therefor in writing upon a form furnished for that purpose, and pay the reinspection fee in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by this jurisdiction. In instances where reinspection fees have been assessed, additional inspection of the work will not be performed until the required fees have been paid. (Ord. 16-O-2719, eff. 1-20-2017; amd. Ord. 22-O-2868, eff. 1-1-2023)