Building inspection checklist for homeowners

Inspections are the most stressful part of the construction process for many homeowners, but they are also the part most under your control. Inspectors are looking for specific, well-defined items at each stage. If you know what those items are and prepare the site accordingly, the inspection takes ten minutes and ends with a sticker on the wall. Before any inspection. The permit card must be posted in a visible location. The approved set of plans must be on site, and ideally tabbed to the relevant page for the inspection at hand. The work being inspected must be ready and accessible — inspectors will not move ladders, stack of materials, or stored tools to reach the work. The address must be visible from the street. Footing inspection. The inspector is looking at the size of the footing relative to what was approved, the depth (must be below the local frost line in cold climates), the placement and size of reinforcing steel, and the condition of the soil at the bottom of the trench. Do not pour concrete before this inspection passes. Foundation or stem wall inspection. The inspector verifies the height, thickness, vertical reinforcement, anchor bolts (size and spacing), and any required waterproofing or damp-proofing. Framing inspection. This is the largest single inspection on most residential projects. The inspector verifies the structural framing matches the approved plans, including stud spacing, header sizes, joist spans, rafter spans, and any specified hold-downs or hurricane straps. They will also look at fire-blocking, draft-stopping, and the rough openings for windows and doors. Roof, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical rough-ins are typically inspected at the same stage so the inspector can see all of the work before it is covered. Insulation inspection. The inspector verifies the type and R-value of insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors, and that vapor barriers and air sealing meet the energy code. Final inspection. The final is a comprehensive walk of the finished work. The inspector verifies that smoke and CO alarms are installed and operating, that egress windows function, that handrails and guards are at the correct heights, that GFCI and AFCI protection is in place where required, that plumbing fixtures function, that combustion appliances vent correctly, and that any specified life-safety items are in place. A passed final triggers the certificate of occupancy.