Residential Inspection

The following is a listing of inspection requirements for residential construction projects. The list is intended to itemize the more common inspections but may not include every required inspection on any given project. Always check with your Construction Inspector for specific details. For purposes of this information, a residential construction project is defined as the construction of a one or two-family dwelling. For more information, please contact the Construction Services Division at 813-274-3100.

• Residential Site Inspections
• Residential Building Inspections
• Specialty Building Inspections
• Residential Electrical Inspections
• Residential Mechanical Inspections
• Residential Plumbing Inspections
• Natural Gas Inspections

Residential Site Inspections

Pre-Site Inspection

1. Performed when plans are submitted for permits, does not require an inspection request.

Site Clearing (prior to starting construction)

1. All tree protection barricades must be in place.
2. Silt barriers must be in place.
3. All root and limb pruning must be completed.
4. All permitted trees were removed or relocated.
5. All demolition completed.

Driveway Apron and Sidewalks

Pre-Pour

1. All construction on the Right of Way must be inspected before and after placing concrete or installing any other improvements.
2. Forms must be in place to the proper depth (driveway aprons to be 6" minimum and sidewalks not in the driveway are to be 4" minimum) and location. The maximum sidewalk side slope is 1/2" to the foot, and the maximum pedestrian ramp slope is 1" to the foot.
3. The subgrade must be compacted and density tested.
4. No reinforcement is allowed in the driveway or sidewalks.
5. Expansion joint material shall be used between apron and curb, at the property line, and to separate new work from existing.
6. Granite curb may be lowered to 1" above the existing edge of pavement or replaced with concrete curb installed per City standards.

Final

1. All concrete completed, forms removed, and right of way restored.

Masonry Fences (walls)

1. Foundation must be located as shown on the approved plans.
2. The size of excavation must be as shown on plans and bottom a minimum of 18" below grade.
3. Reinforcing must be supported and with the minimum number of laps.
4. A lintel/tie beam must be installed/formed as shown on the approved plans.
5. Weep holes (if required) must be located at grade elevation.

Culverts, Manholes, Inlets, Mitered End Sections, Head Walls (in right of way only)

Foundation, structure walls, and tops

1. All reinforcing steel and forms must be inspected prior to placing concrete.

Culverts

1. Only material and size as specified on the approved plans may be used.
2. Pipe location and invert elevations must be as shown on the approved plans.
3. All culverts must be inspected during placement, before covering, and after completion. Density tests must be performed along both sides of the excavation at the spring line, and over the pipe at one (1) foot intervals.
4. All joints must be wrapped with filter fabric and banded.

Final Inspections

1. All required trees, two (2) inch caliper (minimum), 30-gallon container-grown, planted on-site, and must be in good health.
2. All required gutters, downspouts, swales, retention ponds, and any other drainage features, sod in place, and site grading as approved on the plans.
3. Driveways, sidewalks, culverts, headwalls, mitered end sections, right of way restoration completed, and any other improvements in the right of the way completed.

Residential Building Inspections

Foundations, Grade Beams, Pile Caps, Foundation Pads

1. All trenches or excavations and formwork shall be in accordance with the size(s) and configuration(s) as per approved plans.
2. The area within excavation or forms must be properly compacted.
3. The bottoms of all foundations shall be a minimum of 12" (inches) below grade unless designed differently by an Architect or Engineer.
4. All steel reinforcement must be in place, and properly sized, supported, spaced, overlapped, and tied as required.
5. Foundation surveys shall be provided or property markers shall be exposed and strung up to verify property setback requirements.
6. All concealed electrical, plumbing, gas, or mechanical components must be completed, tested, and passed inspection before covering.

Slab Inspection

1. All excavations and/or forms are erected in accordance with the size and configuration as per the approved plans.
2. The area within the excavation of formwork must be properly compacted.
3. Provide certification of soil treatment where required.
4. Vapor barrier, steel reinforcement, and expansion joint materials are properly in place.
5. All concealed electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical components must be completed, tested, and passed inspection before covering.

Column/Tie Beam Inspection

1. Masonry walls must be complete and steel reinforcement in place properly overlapped, supported, and tied.
2. All tie beams and columns must be installed and/or formwork erected in accordance with the size(s) and configuration(s) as per approved plans.
3. All formwork must be properly braced, supported and tightly constructed.
4. All cleanouts must be provided and the vertical cell clean of all debris.
5. All concealed electrical, plumbing, gas, or mechanical components must be completed, tested, and passed inspection before covering.
6. Provide a certificate of elevation when required (flood zones).

Sheathing Inspection

1. All wall and roof sheathing must be installed in accordance with the fastening schedule on the approved plans and shall be inspected prior to dry-in.

Framing Inspection

1. Provide inspector on-site with approved plans and engineered truss drawings.
2. All framing, bracing, fire-blocking, draft stopping, and anchoring devices must be in place and installed in accordance with the type, sizes(s), and configuration(s) on the approved plans.
3. Walls, partitions, floors, floor/ceiling, and roof ceiling assemblies must be installed in accordance with the approved plans.
4. Rooms, spaces, corridors, accessibility areas, and doorways shall be sized and configured in accordance with the approved plans.
5. The building must be weather-tight and the roof dried-in, windows, and doors installed and completed.
6. The fireplace and chimney must be installed and provided with the proper clearances as per manufacturer specifications.
7. Every sleeping room in dwellings and dwelling units must have emergency egress openings (windows) which shall be sized and installed per code.
8. Attic and crawl space ventilation must be provided.
9. All concealed electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical components must be completed, tested, and passed inspection before covering.
10. Wiring provisions were made for smoke detectors.
11. One ground-level 29-inch clear-width bathroom door is provided to meet the Florida Accessibility Code requirements.
12. All safety glazing in hazardous locations must be in place and properly identified.
13. Provide a certificate of elevation when required (flood zone).

Insulation Inspection

1. Framing inspection approval is required before insulation inspection can be performed.
2. All concealed insulation, i.e. batts, blankets, foils, etc. must be in place, properly fastened, and supported in accordance with the approved plans and industry standards.
3. All exterior envelope penetrations shall be caulked and sealed.
4. Baffles or an equivalent method of protecting attic ventilation must be provided.

Final Inspection

1. The building or structure must be substantially complete and ready for occupancy, or the work for which the permit is required must be completed.
2. Smoke detectors installed.
3. All stairs, handrails, and guardrails are complete.
4. Attic and crawl space access and ventilation must be completed.
5. Attic insulation must be completed and a certificate of insulation displayed.
6. Post address as required.

Specialty Building Inspections

Siding Pre-Inspection

1. Pre-inspection is required on existing buildings only before the application of siding materials, i.e., aluminum, vinyl, stucco, etc.
2. Repairs to existing framing, sheathing, and/or siding must be complete to maintain the soundness and structural integrity of the wall.

Pool Steel Inspection

1. All trenches must be excavated and/or forms erected in accordance with the size(s) and configuration(s) as per approved plans.
2. All steel reinforcement must be in place; and properly sized, spaced, overlapped, and supported.
3. Foundation surveys shall be provided or property markers shall be exposed and strung up to verify property setback requirements.
4. All concealed electrical and plumbing components must be completed, tested, and passed inspection before covering.

Residential Electrical Inspections

Under-Slab Inspection

1. All conduits, raceways, grounding, and other components must be installed in open excavations.
2. All openings in conduits shall be sealed.
3. Inspected prior to any backfill being put in place.

Rough-in Inspection

1. All conduits, raceway boxes, and other components must be in place and secured to studs and ceiling joists.
2. All panel boxes must be in place with wiring connected to terminals.
3. Wiring must be installed in conduits, raceways, and panels.
4. All wiring joints shall be completed.
5. Electrical rough-in must be approved prior to concealment.

Electrical Service Inspection

1. The conduit for overhead/underground service must be properly attached. Weatherhead must have rain caps with conductors having a proper drip loop.
2. The meter must have a lightning arrestor, and the service must be properly grounded.
3. Thru-roof risers must have a weatherproof boot installed.

Final Inspection

1. All switches, receptacles, fixtures, and devices must be installed or openings properly closed.
2. All panels must have breakers installed, and have covers installed with all circuits labeled.

Swimming Pool/Spa Inspection

1. All metal components, deck steel, pool reinforcing, and pool enclosure must be bonded together.
2. One GFI receptacle must be installed in the proper location.
3. Junction box/pool light, installed, must be completed and visible for inspection of bonding to pool lights.
4. Pool electrical inspection must be approved prior to concealment.

Residential Mechanical Inspections

Rough-in Inspection

1. Vertical mount air conditioning and heating air handler(s) must be installed.
2. Secondary drain pan and drain lines.
3. Access to the unit.
4. Refrigeration lines installed.
5. Attic accesses, walkways, and working platforms must be installed.
6. All air conditioning and heating ductwork must be installed.
7. The bath exhaust duct must be installed.
8. Dryer ductwork must be installed.
9. Gas vents to be installed.
10. Range hood ductwork installed.
11. Combustion air ducts must be installed.
12. Mechanical closets for attic-mounted equipment to be framed in.

Final Inspection

1. Grilles installed.
2. All equipment installed.
3. Concrete pad for the condensing unit.
4. Dryer vent installed.
5. Range hood installed.
6. Refrigerant line cover installed.
7. Gas vents to be connected to appliances.
8. Electrical disconnects installed.

Residential Plumbing Inspections

Under Slab Inspection

1. All underground water and sewer lines must be installed, and the excavation left uncovered. Thru-slab stub outs must be in place and correctly sleeved. All piping was tested, inspected, and passed before covering.

Rough-in Inspections

1. All piping must be properly supported, and all water and sewer lines must have the proper test and pass inspection before covering.

Tub Set Inspection

1. All tubs and showers must be in place and all drains must be connected. The fixtures must be filled to overflow for tests and passed inspection before covering.
2. All water piping and diverter valves shall be tested, inspected, and passed before covering.
3. All vents must be installed and must exit properly through the roof.

Final Inspection

1. All fixtures must be installed and connected to the water and sewer systems in proper working order.
2. All hose bibs must have a non-removable vacuum breaker.
3. All inspections have passed up to the final stage. The site utilities and irrigation must be final too.

Sewer Inspection

1. All piping must be in place, under proper tests, and properly supported. Excavations are to be left uncovered until the inspection is made and passed.
2. All cleanouts must be properly installed, and the line must be closed off and filled with water to check for leaks.

Irrigation Inspection

1. Backflow preventer and rain check must be properly installed, and piping must be in place to pass the final inspection.

Swimming Pools

Rough-In Inspection

1. The main drain is installed and filled with water, and the valet system and/or pool heating system piping shall be installed, properly tested, inspected, and passed before covering.

Pool Perimeter

1. A plumbing inspection is an open ditch inspection with exposed pipes, properly tested, inspected, and passed before covering.

Final Inspection

1. The pool piping is completed and tested at a pressure of not less than 25 pounds.

Natural Gas Inspections

Rough-In Inspections

The pressure test on new installations is 20 lbs. on a 30-pound gauge.

Final Inspections

1. After the fixtures have been set, a manometer test and final should be called before the fixtures are in operation. If any of the fixtures or appliances require immediate service, then contact your local gas company.