Title 15 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION
Chapter 15.16 INSPECTIONS
15.16.010 Inspections generally.
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 be continuous inspection as specified in Section
15.16.020.
The building official may implement additional or alternate
inspection procedures or requirements by written administrative rules.
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 of the jurisdiction. Inspection 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.
B. Inspection Record Card. Work requiring a permit shall not
be commenced until the permit holder or the agent of the permit holder shall
have posted or otherwise made available an inspection record card such as to
allow the building official conveniently to make the required entries thereon
regarding the inspection of the work. This card shall be maintained available by
the permit holder until final approval has been granted by the building
official.
C. 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. The building official may require that every
request for inspection be filed at least one working day before such inspection
is desired. Such request may be in writing or by telephone at the option of the
building official.
It shall be the duty of the person requesting any inspections
required either by this code or the Specialty Codes to provide access to and
means for inspection of the work.
D. 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 inspections and shall either indicate that that portion of the
construction is satisfactory as completed or shall notify the permit holder or
an agent of the permit holder wherein the same fails to comply with this code.
Any portions which do not comply shall be corrected and such portions shall not
be covered or concealed until authorized by the building official.
The building official, upon notification, shall make the
following inspections:
1. 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 UBC. Standard 19-3, 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.
2. Concrete slab or under-floor inspection: to be made after
in-slab or under-floor 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.
3. Frame inspection: to be made after the roof, framing, fire
blocking and bracing are in place and all pipes, chimneys and vents are complete
and the rough electrical, plumbing, and heating wires, pipes and ducts are
approved.
4. Lath and/or wallboard inspection: to be made after lathing
and wallboard, interior and exterior, is in place but before plaster is applied
or before wallboard joints and fasteners are taped and finished.
5. Final inspection: to be made after finish grading and the
building is completed and ready for occupancy.
E. Required Building Service Equipment Inspections.
1. General. Building service equipment for which a permit is
required by this code shall be inspected by the building official. Building
service equipment intended to be concealed by a permanent. portion of the
building shall not be concealed until inspected and approved. When the
installation of building service equipment is complete, an additional and final
inspection shall be made. Building service equipment regulated by the Specialty
Codes shall not be connected to the water, fuel or power supply or sewer system
until authorized by the building official.
2. Operation of Building Service Equipment. The requirements
of this section shall not be considered to prohibit the operation of building
service equipment installed to replace existing building service equipment
serving an occupied portion of the building in the event a request for
inspection of such building service 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 building service equipment is
concealed by permanent portions of the building.
F. Other Inspections. In addition to the called inspections
specified above, the building official may make or require other inspections of
construction work to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this code or
Specialty Codes and other laws which are enforced by the code enforcement
agency.
G. 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 the Specialty Codes, 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 Tables 3-A through 3-H or as set forth
in 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. (Prior code § 9.305)
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