San Jose Municipal Code Part 5 Inspections

A. Construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the building official and the construction or work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved by the building official. In addition, certain types of construction shall have continuous inspection and structural observation as specified in Chapter 17 of Building Code.

B. Approval as a result of an inspection shall not be construed to be an approval of a violation of the provisions of this title or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction. Inspections presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this title or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid.

C. It shall be the duty of the permit applicant to cause the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the building official nor the city shall be liable for expense entailed in the removal or replacement of any material required to allow inspection.

D. A survey of the lot may be required by the building official to verify that the structure is located in accordance with the approved plans.

E. All inspections specified herein shall be at the discretion of the building official and nothing in the technical codes or in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the city to conduct such inspection nor shall any actual inspection made imply a duty to conduct any other inspection. Furthermore, neither the technical codes nor this section shall be construed to hold the city or any officer, employee or representative of the city, responsible for any damage to persons or property by reason of making inadequate or negligent inspection or by reason of any failure to make an inspection or reinspection.

(Ords. 28166, 28838.)

A. Work requiring a permit shall not be commenced until the permit holder or the agent of the permit holder shall have posted or otherwise made available an inspection record card such as to allow the building official to conveniently make the required entries thereon regarding inspection of the work.

B. The inspection record card shall be maintained and made readily available by the permit holder until final approval has been granted by the building official.

(Ord. 28166.)

A. It shall be the duty of the person doing the work authorized by a permit to notify the building official that such work is ready for inspection.

B. The building official may require that every request for inspection be filed at least one (1) working day before such inspection is desired. Such request may be in writing or by telephone at the option of the building official.

C. It shall be the duty of the person requesting any inspections required either by this title or the technical codes to provide access to and means for inspection of the work.

(Ord. 28166.)

A. Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the building official.

B. Reinforcing steel or structural framework of a part of a building or structure shall not be covered or concealed without first obtaining the approval of the building official.

C. The building official, upon notification, shall make the requested inspections and shall either indicate that portion of the construction is satisfactory as completed or shall notify the permit holder or an agent of the permit holder wherein the same fails to comply with this title.

D. Any portions of work which do not comply shall be corrected and such portion shall not be covered or concealed until authorized by the building official.

E. There shall be a final inspection and approval of all buildings and structures when completed and ready for occupancy and use.

(Ord. 28166.)

The building official, upon notification, shall make the following inspections:

A. Foundation inspection. To be made after excavations for footings are complete and required reinforcing steel is in place. For concrete foundations, required forms shall be in place prior to inspection. All materials for the foundation shall be on the job, except when concrete is ready-mixed in accordance with approved nationally recognized standards, the concrete need not be on the job. When the foundation is to be constructed of approved treated wood, additional inspections may be required by the building official.

B. Concrete slab or under-floor inspection. To be made after in-slab or under-floor reinforcing steel and building service equipment, conduit, piping accessories and other ancillary equipment items are in place but before any concrete is placed or floor sheathing installed, including the subfloor.

C. Protection of joints and penetrations in fire resistive assemblies, smoke barriers, and smoke partitions shall not be concealed from view until inspected and approved.

D. Rough inspection of plumbing, mechanical, gas and electrical systems shall be made prior to covering or concealment, before fixtures or appliances are set or installed, and prior to framing inspection.

E. Frame inspection. To be made after the roof deck or sheathing, all framing, fire blocking and bracing are in place and all pipes, chimneys and vents are complete and the rough electrical, plumbing, heating wires, pipes, and ducts are approved.

F. Lath and/or gypsum panel product inspections shall be made after lathing and gypsum panel products, interior and exterior, are in place but before plaster is applied or before gypsum panel product joints and fasteners are taped and finished.

G. Final inspection. To be made after finish grading and the building is completed and ready for occupancy or use.

(Ords. 28166, 30837, 31256.)

A. General. Building service equipment for which a permit is required by this Title shall be inspected by the building official. Building service equipment intended to be concealed by a permanent portion of the building shall not be concealed until inspected and approved. When the installation of building service equipment is complete, an additional and final inspection shall be made. Building service equipment regulated by the technical codes shall not be connected to the water, fuel or power supply or sewer system until authorized by the building official.

B. Operation of building service equipment. The requirements of this section shall not be considered to prohibit the operation of building service equipment installed to replace existing building service equipment serving an occupied portion of the building in the event a request for inspection of such building service equipment has been filed with the building official not more than forty-eight (48) hours after the replacement work is completed, and before any portion of such building service equipment is concealed by permanent portions of the building.

(Ord. 28166.)

In addition to the called inspections specified above, the building official may make or require other inspections of construction work to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this title or technical codes and other laws which are enforced by the department.

(Ord. 28166.)

A. A reinspection fee may be assessed for each inspection or reinspection when such portion of work for which inspection is called is not complete or when corrections called for are not made.

B. This section is not to be interpreted as requiring reinspection fees the first time a job is rejected for failure to comply with the requirements of the technical codes, but as controlling the practice of calling for inspections before the job is ready for such inspection or reinspection.

C. Reinspection fees may be assessed when the inspection record card is not posted or otherwise available on the work site, the approved plans are not readily available to the inspector, for failure to provide access on the date for which inspection is requested, or for deviating from plans requiring the approval of the building official.

D. To obtain a reinspection, the applicant shall file an application therefor in writing upon a form furnished for that purpose, and pay the reinspection fee in accordance with the schedule of fees.

E. In instances where reinspection fees have been assessed, additional inspection of the work will not be performed until the required fees have been paid.

(Ord. 28166.)

Special inspection shall be provided in accordance with Section 1704 of the Building Code. Additional special inspections may be required when deemed necessary by the building official.

(Ord. 28166.)

Structural observation shall be provided in accordance with Section 1704 of the Building Code. Additional structural observation may be required when deemed necessary by the building official.

(Ords. 28166, 28838, 29334.)

A. Energy connections. Persons shall not make connections from a source of energy, fuel or power to building service equipment which is regulated by the technical codes and for which a permit is required by this title, until approved by the building official.

B. Temporary connections. The building official may authorize the temporary connection of the building service equipment to the source of energy, fuel or power for the purpose of testing building service equipment, or for use under a temporary certificate of occupancy.

(Ord. 28166.)