What to leave open for inspection?

forkvoid · 02-12-2009, 03:56 PM

I picked up electrical and building permits for my remodel. The building inspectors wants to come by for only the final, before I put on the tape and mud on the drywall. My biggest issue is with the electrical inspector: I'm going to have entire spots where I can't hang drywall because I'm needing to keep the area open for electrical inspection. Is the inspector going to want to see exactly how I've attached the boxes, nailed the wire to the stud, etc? Or can I just put up the drywall and leave the wire hanging out? I have a full basement where you can trace all the wire back to the panel. Bare drywall is ugly, but a room of mixed drywall/bare insulation is even worse. I'd rather be able to just hang the drywall, call it done and move to the next room.

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2009, 04:07 PM

Where I am the electric inspection is seperate & before any insulation or sheetrock is installed. Better make sure

Michael Thomas · 02-12-2009, 04:08 PM

Odd. Around here their is always a pre-closeup and a final inspection.

forkvoid · 02-12-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba_Dave

Where I am the electric inspection is seperate & before any insulation or sheetrock is installed. Better make sure

The problem with going that route is that I'm doing the entire house. That would leave me a house without any insulation or drywall at all until the entire thing was ready for inspection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

Odd. Around here their is always a pre-closeup and a final inspection.

I spoke to the building inspector and he said he didn't want to waste my time with anything but a final inspection, since I'm not changing any framing or anything of the sort. I can't get hold of the electrical inspector(his voice mail says he only answers his phone between 8am and 8:30am Monday through Friday; he also does not return calls). How I routed the electrical wires, there's absolutely no reason to inspect anything but where the electrical is. Typically, there's two or three studs to either side that are open currently for his inspection.

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2009, 06:06 PM

Building Inspector can do what they want
Since the structure is existing the main issue is if you use the proper insulation

But electric is a whole nother ball game
They usually want to see rough 1st, then the final

forkvoid · 02-12-2009, 06:57 PM

What constitutes a rough in? Just installing boxes or running cable but not hooking into the panel? Final would be installation of the sockets and hooking into the panel?

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2009, 07:05 PM

Rough for us is boxes installed, wire run, wire coming out of the boxes ready for devices/outlets/switched
I was told to have the neutrals & grounds landed = no hots
Not sure if that is how it is everywhere

forkvoid · 02-12-2009, 08:06 PM

Okay that's what i have right now. I just want to know if they need to see the wires between the box and the subfloor.

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2009, 08:30 PM

I have wire running along the floor joist - 2nd floor
I cut the piece of plywood, but its not secured in place
So that can be opened for inspection
But in my sunroom I had the subfloor down - since the walls were built on top of the sub-floor. It wasn't a problem

Its up to your Inspector on what they want

Not sure what others maybe have encountered?

Leah Frances · 02-12-2009, 09:09 PM

Set your alarm clock and get up and CALL THE INSPECTOR AND ASK HIM. The electrical inspector in your jurisdiction is the only one who knows the answers to these questions.

forkvoid · 02-12-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leah Frances

Set your alarm clock and get up and CALL THE INSPECTOR AND ASK HIM. The electrical inspector in your jurisdiction is the only one who knows the answers to these questions.

I've been trying. It goes to voice mail. He does not return calls. I suspect the only time I'm going to see him is when I schedule an inspection through the main office.

bwalley · 02-12-2009, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forkvoid

Okay that's what i have right now. I just want to know if they need to see the wires between the box and the subfloor.

If he is a good inspector and does his job, he will want to see all of your work, BEFORE it is covered up.

A good inspector will look closer at a homeowners work than a professionals work, because the HO usually don't know what they are doing.

drtbk4ever · 02-13-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forkvoid

I've been trying. It goes to voice mail. He does not return calls. I suspect the only time I'm going to see him is when I schedule an inspection through the main office.

Can the main office give you a guideline as to what stage the inspector wants to see?

If not I would just schedule an inspection and see where it goes.

bjbatlanta · 02-13-2009, 04:09 PM

Again, it's based on where you live. In the various counties in the metro Atlanta, electric is generally inspected before insulation. Some counties after, but all before drywall.

forkvoid · 02-13-2009, 04:13 PM

I was able to get hold of another inspector for the city(but still cannot get hold of the one I was assigned). He said since I'm doing an entire house, they are willing to come out multiple times to do rough-in and final of sections of the house, instead of the entire house at once(which would leave me with a house with no electric). I've already got one room insulated and mostly drywalled, except for the portions where electrical is. I'm not going to insulate any other rooms until I have him come out and do a rough-in, at which point I'll get more specifics of what he will allow me to do.

Thanks for your responses, guys.