Construction Inspections
What Is It?
After your building permit is issued, we inspect your work to make sure it is done according to the approved plans and the applicable building codes. As a permit holder, it is your responsibility to call and request each inspection.
When to Schedule
Unless your building project requires special inspections, the following inspections may be required, most of which can be performed more than once:
- Site inspection (before first ground disturbance - erosion control requirement)
- First ground / preconstruction meeting (held before any ground disturbances or beginning of construction)
- Foundation inspection (before placing of concrete)
- Sub floor inspection (before covering the floor framing)
- Structural inspection (before covering the outside sheathing)
- Framing Inspection (before insulating or covering framing)
- Insulation inspection (after insulation is installed)
- Final inspection (after all construction is complete and all related permits have received a final inspection)
Other related work, such as mechanical, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing, side sewer, and water services, requires separate permits and separate inspections. After the final inspection, we will grant approval to occupy. In the case of projects other than single-family homes and duplexes, we may require and issue a Certificate of Occupancy after final approval.
We may also require other preconstruction meetings. These include, but are not limited to:
- Geotechnical special inspections preconstruction meeting
- Post tension preconstruction meeting
- Shotcrete preconstruction meeting
- Reinforced masonry preconstruction meeting
- High strength concrete preconstruction meeting (required for all concrete placed that meets or exceeds 7,000 psi at any given age) (Batch Plant)
- Mat / mass concrete preconstruction meeting (required any time the total yardage of concrete placed within a 24 hour period exceeds 3,000 cubic yards)
- Structural steel preconstruction meeting
- Wood framing preconstruction meeting (you must schedule this before fabrication of any pre-fabricated structural panels)
- Curtain wall preconstruction meeting
- Environmental preconstruction meeting
How to Schedule
- Request an inspection online.
- Call our 24-hour automated inspection request line at (206) 684-8900 with your permit number, name, and phone number. If you call before 7:00 a.m., we usually inspect your project the same day. If you call after 7:00 a.m., we schedule your inspection for the following workday. Be sure you have a good, consistent signal before using a cell phone to schedule an inspection. Otherwise, your call may drop out and your inspection will not be scheduled.
- Contact Customer Support at (206) 684-8950 during business hours.
- If you need to cancel a scheduled inspection call (206) 684-8950.
Our inspectors can be reached between 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. By contacting your inspector, you can work out the arrival details of your inspection. We can not guarantee specific arrival times.
Pre-Construction Meetings: Contact our structural building inspector at (206) 684-8950 or our automated inspection request line at (206) 684-8900. You must schedule these meetings several days to a week in advance. You must have your approved plans with cover sheet at these meetings. All the responsible parties involved with the project (including the architect or engineer of record, structural and/or geotechnical special inspector, and earthwork subcontractor, whichever apply) must attend the meeting.