Under Construction Phase Inspections

References

• Document for Alaska - [1]
• Inspection Descriptions Florida - [2]
• Guidelines Georgia - [3]
• South Carolina - [4]

Specifics

• Smoke alarms required [5]
• Temp power pole - gen or off-grid is fine - [6]

Site Plan

• this is the first inspection

Grading Inspection

• This is inspected in Georgia.

Foundation

• Slab inspection happens before pouring
• Plumbing under-slab may be inspected prior to covering

Complete Rough

• Rough-in inspections include plumbing, electrical, and framing:
• Includes house wrap inspection?
• DO NOT INSULATE EXCEPT CONCEALED WALLS, SUCH AS BEHIND SHOWERS AND CANTILEVERED FLOORS
• Is it ok to insulate behind the stairway?
• Includes caulking inspection. Caulking may mean firestop for electrical, plumbing, and other penetrations
• Does it include interior doors? No, interior doors appear to be after the rough-in phase [7]
• Fire blocking shall be in place. Use ASTM E136 caulk and other approved material to seal [8]

Electrical

• includes wiring and breakers
• Includes ground conductor
• Includes all enclosures - breaker boxes, outlet boxes
• Switches, receptacles and fixtures should not be installed at the rough-in.
• If possible, permanent power inspection may be scheduled at rough-in. [9]
• The panel box needs to have the grounds and neutrals made up. No breakers are required. Service entrance must be run.
• Unless the meter base and the service panel are located back-to-back or next to adjacent stud cavity, a four wire system with an exterior service disconnect is required. The sub-panel must isolate neutrals from the grounds. (NEC 230.70a and 230.91a). I pull up service disconnect at [10]
  • Note distinction between service disconnect and meter disconnect. Service disconnect is main breaker on breaker box. Meter disconnect is before the meter. The meter is before the house breaker panel.
• A four wire service is required for stoves and dryers. - what if we have a small dryer?
• Receptacle spacing on walls shall be: not more than 12 feet apart; within 6 feet of a door. Any wall greater than 2 feet in length needs a receptacle. (E3801.2.1)
• A minimum two 20-amp circuits are required in the kitchen, one in the laundry and one for the bathrooms. All must be wired with 12-gauge wire size. (E3603)
  • Countertops can serve a 'toaster with 2' cord'
• Smoke detector wiring must be installed. One is required inside each sleeping room, immediately outside the sleeping room and each floor level of habitable spaces.
• You can run water and electric close to each other - 12" or more is recommended, though lower than this is also ok. If they touch, use tape to separate them. ref
• All bathroom receptacles are GFCI [11], and keep them 6' from bathtub. [12]

Plumbing and Mechanical

• One piece shower tubs are installed as they are too big to do later and they often 'change size' and thus must be installed with the framing to match [13]
• Prior to any enclosure, plumbing is inspected
• Includes water, drain, waste, and vents
• Sinks/showers etc not installed yet.
• Water supply system shall be tested and proven to be water tight under a water pressure test not less than the working pressure system (40 lbs) or by an air test not less than 50 psi. (100 for pex). (P2503.6).

Mechanical

• Condensate and HVAC line sets should be installed and fire-stopped. (M1411, M1412).
• M1411.6 Insulation of Refrigerant Piping - Piping and fittings for refrigerant vapor (suction) lines shall be insulated with insulation having a thermal resistivity of not less than R-4 and having external surface permeance not exceeding 0.05 perm [2.87 ng/(s • m2 • Pa)] when tested in accordance with ASTM E 96.
• Clothes dryer exhaust shall be roughed-in. Maximum length shall not exceed 25 feet. (G2439.5.1)
• Includes HVAC vents; range, dryer and bathroom vents; water heater and venting; others. If water heater is not fuel-fired,
• Bathroom exhaust fans must be installed in every bathroom and water closet and duct run to outside air.

Framing

• Includes both interior and exterior walls, load bearing or not. Inspection is done after all rough-in plumbing and electrical, and ducting is in place.
• Stair headroom must be 6'8" [14]

Insulation

• This follows rough-in - and is prior to walls being covered

Final Inspection

Schedule this when the building is ready for occupancy. May include:

• Building Final - such as wall covering
• Landscape Final - erosion so grass is growing etc?
• Electrical Final -
• Plumbing Final
• Mechanical Final
• Gas Final

Other

• P2503.4 Building Sewer Testing - The building sewer shall be tested by insertion of a test plug at the point of connection with the public sewer, filling the building sewer with water and pressurizing the sewer to not less than a 10-foot (3048 mm) head of water. The test pressure shall not decrease during a period of not less than 15 minutes.