New Construction Inspections

Building Codes are a set of minimum home building standards. New construction inspections are made to insure compliance to these standards.

Hi Carl,

In your steps to building a home, you only mention inspections at two stages, before pouring the foundation and after step 23 or 24.

Are there other inspections that should take place and if so, at which stages of construction?

Rose

Hi Rose,

Actually, the rest of the important ones are mentioned, just hard to find in the minutia of text.

Here is where some of the other inspections are mentioned: “How to Build a House Step by Step”:

STEP 11: Rough-ins (1-2 weeks)

All electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning, phone pre-wires, cable or satellite TV lines, stereo and intercom, Internet, and burglar alarm systems should be roughed-in at this time or anytime after step 8 is completed. This does not mean that these units are installed at this time - only the wiring or plumbing for them. Inspections are needed when this step is complete.

STEP 12: Insulation (3 days)

Consult with your local utility company on the insulation you need to qualify for their lowest rates. Some locales require an inspection of insulation by both the utility and the building inspection department when it is completed, and before it is covered with drywall or paneling (or plaster, if anyone still wants plaster walls).

My list of inspections does not mean it will be your list of inspections.

You may have more inspections or you may have less depending on the locale in which you build your new home. It varies widely.

Having more inspections is good, especially for the 1st time home builder as it takes some of the worry off your shoulders.

When you go through the process of obtaining all your permits you will find out what inspections need to be done for your house. In most locales the cost of permits covers the cost of required inspections.

Here’s a list of most of the possible inspections.

There may be other inspections that may be required that are not listed.

If you are ever in doubt whether or not an inspection is required, call your building inspection department.

Remember: Building Codes are a set of minimum standards.

After plan review, permits issued and permits posted:

INSPECTIONS:

NOTE: All work requiring an inspection must be inspected prior to covering.

• Temporary electric
• Driveway specifications for inspection & permit posted
• Soil erosion control
• Footing inspection
• Mono slab/footing Inspection
• Formed wall Inspection (required for all formed walls prior to placement of concrete)
• Foundation inspection (Note: inspection of steel reinforcement in forms may be required depending on the design of concrete walls or grouted walls)
• Certified foundation survey (for review at the foundation inspection)
• Garage and basement slab areas
• Deck footing inspection
• Slab inspection (non monolithic slab)
• Plumbing under slab Inspection

ROUGH-IN INSPECTIONS FOR:

• Framing
• Plumbing
• Mechanical (HVAC)
• Electrical
• Water and Sewer Inspection
• Insulation Inspection

FINAL inspections for all building components completed including:
• Mechanical,
• Electrical And
• Plumbing Systems;
• Stairs,
• Decks,
• Handrails,
• Guardrails,
• Exterior finish
• Interior finish material (excluding floor finishes/coverings, and interior paint)
• Final grading

OTHER INSPECTIONS

• Waterproofing inspection
• Swimming pools (Require separate permits)
• Retaining walls (Require separate permits)

Well Rose, I am glad you brought the subject up as it’s important. I should have thought to write this a long time ago. Thanks.

You are probably surprised that there are so many inspections…

Builders sure do earn their money don’t they?

Carl

Planning to Build a House

Carl,

My wife and I have a goal to build a home in 5 years in northern Utah.

We're hoping that gives us some time to save up some cash to have on hand.

We know what land we'd like, but don't have the money to do it now.

In any case, how early is too early to start planning things?

I know material, land, and labor costs change over time so what I find out now, may not be what I get closer to building time.

Do you have general time-line recommendations for how early to start some of the initial leg work and research?

Thanks a lot for your great information on your site and for "Ask Carl".

J.P.


Hi J.P.

How early is too early to start planning things?

It’s never too early to dream and dreaming IS planning.

Planning is a wise thing to do for just about every endeavor.

I’ve seen people take longer than 5 years!

Good planning helps prevent mistakes down the road and saves you money in the long run, especially when building a home.

First of all, guesstimate what your total budget will be in 5 years. (Cash + borrowing power = budget…see Home Building Budget)

Figure that at least 25% of that total will go for land and the balance for your house.

Always plan on fitting the house to the land, not the other way around, so looking for a building site in that “land you like” should be a little higher priority.

Perhaps you could even find a (land) seller who is willing to finance the land cheaply…it is after all, a “buyer’s market”.

But first, talk to a local lender to see if you can use land equity as your down payment when you get ready to build.

Your land equity should be the difference between what the land is worth, or what it cost (the lesser of the two), and what you still owe on it.

Paying for land has been a great way for people to save for building a house…it is sort of a forced savings plan…and, you lock in the land cost.

Land will certainly appreciate over 5 years and cost more, whereas building costs should remain a little more stable as the housing industry recovers.

If the cost of your building site rises too much before you are ready to buy land, you can adjust the house size to compensate for the higher land cost.
(Remember-Size & design = cost)

Good luck,
Carl