Inspections Information

To Schedule an Inspection – Please Call: (860) 291-7340

Inspections are required for project that requires a permit application. Building owners, design professionals, and contractors should familiarize themselves with all requirements for inspections and testing for their project before starting construction. Failure to request inspections from this department or have special inspections and testing performed will likely result in additional expense and lost time due to uncovering work or going to greater lengths to verify code compliant construction. Some examples of projects which require inspections include:

• Foots or piers
• Foundation Walls
• Foundation damp/water proofing
• Footing drains, radon prep, and under-slab vapor barrier
• Rough electrical
• Rough plumbing
• Rough mechanical
• Brace wall nailing prior to WRB
• Framing after all trade inspections
• Fire resistance rated construction – fire stop, draft stop and fire rated drywall prior to taping/finish
• Deck framing before deck boards are installed if lower than 3 feet off the ground
• Insulation and air barrier
• New Construction – blower door tests
• New construction and new duct work greater than 40 linear feet – duct leakage test
• Tile backer
• Weather-resistant barrier, leveling foam board prior to siding
• Replacement window/door inspection at the start of the job
• Ice and water/underlayment and taped plywood seams prior to installing roof shingles
• Replacement windows at the start of the job
• Final inspections for all trades

Special Inspections

Special inspections are required in addition to those done by this department. Section 1704 of the 2003 International Building Code contains the detailed provisions, however, here is a summary:

• Special inspectors are hired by the design professional or building owner, not the contractor. They can be the design professionals who designed the project.
• Special inspectors must be qualified and competent for the building elements they inspect.
• A Statement of Special Inspections is to be submitted along with the building permit application.
• Special inspectors shall keep records and make reports to the building official.
• Required special inspections include:
• Fabricators and off-site fabrication of structural members
• Structural steel construction including details, bolting and welding
• Concrete construction Page 2 of 2 • Masonry construction
• Prefabricated wood structural elements
• Soils
• Site preparation
• Placement of fill material
• Pile foundations
• Sprayed fire-resistant materials
• Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS)
• Special cases as determined by the building official
• Smoke control systems

Whenever the special inspector finds deficiencies they must be reported to the building official and corrected.

Testing

Some of the special inspections required by Section 1704 also include performing tests of materials either on site or in a laboratory to verify compliance with the construction documents and minimum requirements for materials in the building code or referenced standards. These tests must be performed by accredited testing agencies and staff.

For More Information see: Contractors Guide to Inspections, Special Inspections, Testing

Inspections and Tests Required by Construction Documents

Frequently the drawings or specifications prepared by the design professional will require further inspections or materials testing to be done during construction,. Because these are included in the approved construction documents they must be performed and this department may require submission of documentation of the results.