Whether you are updating your building or starting from scratch, there will be inspections along the way to make sure your structure matches the current safety codes. While an inspection is part of a typical day for a contractor, you may still be nervous about whether the work will pass.
There may be frequent changes to the California building codes, but not all of them will apply to your building or your project. Even if you are not doing the work, you should still have an idea of what will happen when an inspector comes to look at your contractor’s work.
Here’s what you should know about what happens during a building inspection and what inspectors look for.
Types of inspections
Most of the time, you will schedule an inspection for work that is in progress, or that recently completed. The main types of inspections include:
- Building. Typically, a scheduled inspection for stages in the building or remodeling process.
- Electrical. In most cases, an electrical inspection will go over recent work or work that is in progress such as rough wiring or fire alarms.
- Plumbing. Inspectors will look at underground work, fire sprinklers or other changes made during a build or remodel.
What are they looking for?
When you are remodeling your building, your contractor may be confident that the work will pass, and you will be able to keep moving forward in the process. As an owner, you may have concerns about what happens during an inspection.
Depending on what city your building is in, a local inspector will look at the work your contractor did and compare it to the relevant and current building code. Most of the time, inspections go smoothly. Talk to your contractor about the code and what the inspector will need to see for the work to pass.
