No discussion of the construction process would be complete without talking about the building inspectors. If you are not familiar with the construction process, see The Construction Process. Building inspectors review many components of the home while it's being built to make sure local building codes are followed. If building inspectors find a violation, they will halt construction until the problem is corrected and re-inspected. Once a home successfully passes a building inspection, a notice is posted on the home site, signaling that construction can continue safely.When Do Building Inspections Occur?
Building inspections occur at specific times in the construction process. These predetermined times are selected to give the building inspector maximum access to the areas he or she needs to see.
The following chart shows building inspections common in many regions of the country. Keep in mind that the building inspections required for your municipality may be slightly different.
What Can Stop Construction?As the building inspector reviews the home throughout construction, some typical problems that may cause him or her to halt construction include the following:
- Poor soil conditions or cold weather during the "foundation" stage.
- Point loads not properly transferred down to next lower level during the "framing" stage.
- Lack of proper ventilation in the cathedral ceiling during the "mechanicals" stage.
- Inccorrect R-value of insulation in the walls or ceilings during the "insulation and air sealing" stage.
- Malfunctioning electrical outlets or switches during the "interior finish" stage.
- Missing exterior railings on porches or decks during the "pre-closing" stage.
It's important to note that all of the items listed above are related directly to your health and safety.
Building inspections are frequent throughout construction; however, the site supervisor is responsible for walking through each home daily to inspect the quality of construction.
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