RESIDENTIAL INSPECTION CHECKLIST

This document summarizes some common inspection points, and the Building Official's interpretation and expectation. This list is not all inclusive...the IRC is your all inclusive reference source. The following codes are in effect: 2006 International Residential Code and the current National Electric Code. The following current code editions are also in effect: International Fire Code, International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Fuel Gas Code. Helpful reminders are below. 

NOTE:  Except for plumbing, mechanical and exterior work only, when residential work requiring a permit occurs, the entire home is required to be upgraded to today's smoke alarm code. Limited exceptions exist for hard wiring and interconnection. (2006 IRC R313.2.1)

General Building

Glazing (Tempered windows required – both sashes). R308

• Within 2’ unbroken arc of doors
• 60” of tub/shower floor
• Larger than 9 sq. ft. and closer than 18” from floor
• Within 60” horizontal & vertical of all stair landings (top, mid, bottom)

 Window egress. R310

• 1^st floor widows 5.0 sq. ft. openable area
• 2^nd level 5.7 sq. ft. openable area
• At least one Bonus Room window of 5.7 sq. ft. openable area.

                                Note: cannot remove sash to measure

 Egress door. R311

• One 3/0 x 6/8 door
• No double cylinder dead bolt lock on any egress door

 Treated Lumber & decay prevention. R317

• In contact with masonry or concrete
• Girders: 18”          
• Floor joists: 12”
• Bottom plates: 8”
• Siding 6” above soil

 Site Address. R319

• Minimum 3” high numbers on the house, with colors contrasting with the background
• Address on post visible from both directions of travel if house is not visible from road

 Stairs. R311

• 3’x3’ landing at top and bottom of all stairs
• 7 ¾” max rise & 11” min. tread depth with 6’8” headroom
• ½” sheetrock at all accessible areas under stairs
• Hand rails 34” to 38”
• Handrails must be continuous
• Handrails must return to the wall
• Handrails must be graspable and be 1 ¼” to 2 5/8” graspable size

 Guards. R312

• Provided on elevations > 30” high (measured from lowest point 6’ out)
• Not less than 36” high
• Not wider than 4”
• Not “climbable” (vertical pickets)

Garages. R309

• 1/2” sheetrock between garage/carport and living areas
• 5/8” Type X sheetrock between garage and room over the garage
• Metal or fire-rated door to house (no glass)
• Drop down stairs must be fire rated (if areas above living areas are not otherwise provided with fire barriers)
• Infrared garage door eyes 6” max off floor.
• Doors auto-reverse when met with reasonable resistance
• Gas appliances 18” off the floor.
• Water heaters protected from impact by metal bollard or concrete barrier (gas and electric water heaters)
  • Note: 2 x 4 wood framed barriers are not allowed.

Foundations

Grade. R401

• Slopes away from the building 6” in 10’
• Crawl space vents above grade or with vent wells

• Concrete and masonry foundation walls shall extend above the finished grade adjacent to the foundation at all points a minimum of 4 inches where masonry veneer is used and a minimum of 6 inches for other types of siding.

House Footings. R403

• 12” (to the bottom) below finished grade

• 12" wide, 1 story home

• 15" to 21" wide, 2 story home (depending on construction materials)

• Bottom of footing level and on undisturbed ground

Decks, Wood Porches, & Wood Ramp Footings R403
 

• On solid ground or compacted fill.
• Bottom of footing, 12” min. below grade.
• Footing thickness (T), 6" minimum.
• Footing width should be the diameter of the post/pier plus a footing projection (P) of 2" minimum on all sides. P shall not be greater than T.
  • Post/pier diameter depends on tributary area.
• Posts/piers must rest on 6" of footing. (Posts/piers cannot sit on soil and simply be surrounded by concrete.)
• Footings must be inspected prior to filling with concrete.

Concrete. R402

• 3000 psi minimum

Anchors. R403

• Anchors within 12” from the end of every sill and no more than 6’ apart.   Note: Foundation straps must be used according to the manufacturer's installation instructions. We know of no foundation strap that is permitted by the manufacturer for use in red clay brick walls unless they reach to the footing. Bolts or straps must be used in a structural part of the foundation wall (pier or pilaster, for example), not the curtain wall.

References: www.strongtie.com/ftp/catalogs/c-2011/C-2011-p034.pdf  /  www.uspconnectors.com/pdf-full-line-2010/32.pdf
 

Crawl Spaces. R407 & M1305

• Crawl space access shall be 24" by 18" minimum
• 6 mil poly over entire crawl space
• Foundation vents 3’ from each corner and 1 per 150 sq. ft. of area
• Area free of debris, grass, roots, etc.

• Provide GFCI outlet and switched light in crawls with HVAC equipment.
                  Note: a light shall be near the HVAC equipment


 

• No dirt filled porches on crawl space homes. Large porch structures must be ventilated as a crawl space.

• Wood slat porches on crawl space homes must not drain water into main crawl space.

Framing

LVLs / Glulams / Engineered Lumber

• Provide spec sheets from an engineer when using engineered or composite lumber beams, headers, etc.

Damage or modification to trusses (if present)

• Repaired per manufacturer’s specifications. Have copies of specs for inspector.

• Wood joists (including ledger strips) < 18 inches above grade shall be treated lumber

• Wood girders < 12 inches above grade shall be treated lumber

• Wood framing that rests on concrete or masonry foundation walls and are less than 8" from the ground shall be treated lumber

• Shims shall be according to this interpretation: http://www.cloversc.info/Forms/Dev_Services/Shim%20Interpretation.pdf

• Telescoping adjustable columns are prohibited for structural support unless certified by a 3rd party testing agency or by a PE.

• Hollow piers shall be capped with 4 inches (102 mm) of solid masonry or concrete or shall have cavities of the top course filled with concrete.

• Sheathing must tie floor framing to the walls and top plates. Suggest laying the sheathing horizontal and staggering joints 2’ min.

Decks, Wood Porches, & Wood Ramps. R502 & AWC guidelines

• Corrosion resistant fasteners
• Corrosion resistant flashing. Note: vinyl siding is not flashing! No siding except brick behind ledger
• Ledger connection using mim. ½” lag screws or bolts w/washers. Stagger bolts from top to bottom, beginning 5” max from ends. Screws must extend through house band sill.
• Decks at brick walls must be free standing
• Decks must be free standing if they are so low that the positive connection to the house cannot be inspected and verified.
• Rim joist attached to end of joists with 3 threaded nails or 3 wood screws.
• To prevent uplift, beams to bear on posts by notching posts & bolting or by post cap
• 4” x 4” posts max height 6’
• 6” x 6” min post required if height is > 6’
• When attached to the house on only 1 side, bolted diagonal braces required to prevent racking when height exceeds 4’
• Multi-level decks and decks with heights > 14 feet designed by engineer or architect.
• Guardrail posts of 4 x 4 min, bolted to outer joist or rim joist (2 bolts each).
• Graspable hand rails, where required. (Note: a 2x4 or a 2x6 is not a hand rail.)
• Steps > 6 risers, stairway lighting required.

• Brick ties every 24” horizontally and vertically
• Gap between brick and sheathing between 1 and 4 inches.

• Weepholes, with flashing, every 33 inches at foundation plate line on wood walls, above doors, and windows

• Weep screeds at foundation plate line on wood walls.

• Weep screeds at foundation plate line on wood walls, windows, & doors.
• Installed according to manufacturer’s instructions

• Windows shall be installed according to the manufacturer's installation instructions. Instructions to be available on the job site.

  Note that every window manufacturer's instructions we've ever viewed require a certain sized gap at the perimeter of the window filled with a casing bead, backer rod, and caulk between the window frame and stucco or stone. Caulked gaps shall exist between windows and masonry according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Windows shall be flashed according to the manufacturer's instructions. If housewrap is provided, unless otherwise dictated by the manufacturer, housewrap shall be lapped inside the window framed opening at the sides and bottom. Window fins shall be taped at the sides, bottom, and top, and the top flap of the housewrap extended over the top window fin.

• R-19 min. in floor system (crawl space). Paper up.
• R-13 min. in walls
• R-30 min. in attic with a 1” gap between insulation and roof deck

• Bath fans 50 cfm minimum exhausted to exterior through ports (not to ridge or gable vents)
• Dryer exhaust shall be smooth wall metal duct, taped at the joints. No screws.
• Dryer exhaust termination not screened.
• Dryer termination to discharge to a conspicuous area
• Dryer exhaust not to exceed 25’ (deduct 5’ for each 90 deg. bend and 2.5’ for each 45 deg. bend.)
• Gas cook stoves vented to exterior per code and manufacturer requirements.

• Equipment sized according to ACCA Manual J calculations.

  • Note: provide calculations to inspector for review before HVAC inspection A CO will not be issued until the document is provided.
     

• Attic openings large enough to remove installed equipment at future date.

• All mechanical equipment installed above BFE

• Gas cook stoves vented to exterior per code and manufacturer requirements.

• Aux. condensate drains conspicuously located (above door, patio, deck or window.)

• Protect all t-stat wire outdoors.

• If HVAC is installed over trusses, provide documentation from truss manufacturer that trusses were sized to carry the load
• If water heater is installed over trusses, provide documentation from truss manufacturer that trusses were sized to carry the load
• Provide Truss design drawings at rough-in inspection
• Trusses laterally or diagonally braced
• Provide passageway to HVAC min. 30” high and 22” wide.
• Provide outlet and switched light in attics with HVAC equipment or storage space.
  
  • Note: light shall be near the HVAC equipment
• Provide baffles, wood boxes, or other means to prevent insulation spillage at attic hatches.

• CSST, if used, shall be bonded to the grounding electrode or ground bus at main panel.

Note: Black CSST is excepted.

• Appliance connectors shall not pass through HVAC cabinets, or be concealed within walls, or extended through walls or floors. Two appliance connectors shall not be joined together. Appliance connectors shall not exceed 3' except for ranges and clothes dryers, which are limited to 6'. (FGC G2422.1.2)
• Flexible gas piping (CSST) through fireplace walls shall be protected from abrasion by a suitable pipe, conduit, or grommet.
• Gas shut-off within 6' of the appliance.
• Sediment traps shall be installed in a manner so that debris does not blow by the trap. Traps shall be downstream of the shutoff valve.
• No "commercial" gas ranges in residential construction unless listed for that use.

• T&P valve terminated to a concrete floor, the exterior, the water heater pan or an indirect waste receptor. Termination must be in the same room as the appliance.
• A plumbed drain pan is required whenever "damage" from a leak or overflow would occur. Note that water heaters on slab foundations inside the conditioned space also require a pan with a plumbed drain to prevent damage to floor coverings, adjacent walls, molding, etc.
• Pan drains piped to exterior
• Shut-off valve provided
• Installed above the BFE

• All piping left uncovered until approved by inspector at rough inspection
• Top of water service pipe not less than 12” deep
• Sleeves provided where piping passes through foundation.
• Pressure between 40 and 80 psi.
• Accessible main water shutoff required (garage, closet, or crawl space entrance recommended).
• Water service pipe ran without splices or fittings to the main water shutoff valve before any branches to fixtures including exterior faucets.
• Exterior faucets provided with anti-siphons
• Supply pipes in attic & garage insulated.  Note: do not let insulation contact water heater flue
• Thermal expansion control required when backflow preventers (including pressure reducing valves) are present (on municipal water system)

• All piping left uncovered until approved by inspector at rough inspection
• Top of exterior waste piping not less than 12” deep
• PVC pipe supported every 4’
• Cleanouts at all change of directions > 45 degrees.
• 3” cleanout, min., 3’ outside building
• Kitchen sinks vented to exterior where possible
• Purple primer required at PVC joints
• No flexible, corrugated trap piping allowed

• Toilets 12” min. from side walls. Toilets 21” clear in front.

• Custom shower pans must be flood tested by the contractor with the building official present.

• Service entrance equipment clearance:

  • 36” of clear space in front of panel
  • 30” wide minimum 6.5’ high from floor unobstructed
  • Top of panel not higher than 6.5 feet
     

• All panels labeled in ink

• No double-tapping of neutrals. (Grounded conductors one per screw on neutral bus.)

• Feeders:

  • Four-wire feeds are required to all new distribution panels.
     
• Disconnects
  • A main disconnect is required within 10' of the meter.
  • A main disconnect is required when more than 6 hand movements are required to turn off all circuits.

Grounding

• Electrode rods 8 feet in length, of iron or steel 5/8". Listed non-ferrous rods not less than 1/2".

• Electrode upper end flush with soil

• GEC secured and protected from damage

• Outbuildings

  • Where two or more buildings are supplied from one service, each building must have a grounding electrode.
    Exception: A grounding electrode is not required in a separate building if it is served by only one branch circuit.

Lighting

• Kitchen & Bath Remodels (policy)

  • When cabinets are installed, replaced, or added (in whole or part):

  • all current NEC requirements shall be met, and;

  • the current NEC requirements for outlets serving the countertops shall be met, and;

  • all current NEC (and plumbing) requirements regarding the installation or replacement of existing electrical equip. or appliances shall be met.

    Exception: replacement of countertops, floor coverings, or wood trim only is exempt from these requirements

Other Electrical

• Small appliance circuits (2) restricted to kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, (or similar areas).

• Disconnects at HVAC equipment, elect. water heaters & dishwashers unless within line of sight of panel.

  • Except when lockable breakers are provided

• 4-wire supply & outlet at clothes dryers

• Cable to garbage disposal shall be taped or tie-wrapped to drain lines or sleeved in flex conduit to prevent damage.

• Ceiling fan boxes (boxes with 3-conductor wiring) must be listed for such use.

• Bond water heater and spa tub to electrical system.