Our front office staff has requested that all calls made by contractors for the purpose of scheduling an inspection must have the correct permit number available.

Items of information discussed at a recent inspections staff meeting for your use:

• Pool Barrier requirements training was reinforced as we are nearing warm weather. Please call for final inspections on all outstanding pool permits and do not use a new pool without final inspections. The CPSC estimates that over 2000 children a year under five years old require hospital treatment due to submersion in a swimming pool and about 300 a year are drowning victims.
• Due to safety considerations published by plastic plumbing pipe and pipe cement manufacturers; we will no longer accept any air testing alone on plastic pipe. All plastic pipes must be hydrostatically tested. Plastic water distribution lines must be filled with water prior to pressurizing. Plastic DWV piping must be filled to a 10 foot head of water pressure.
• Our inspectors will not enter a trench deeper than four feet for an inspection unless properly stepped or shored. Spoils must be located a safe distance from the trench. If required to enter the trench, there must be two people on the site
• Modular homes must have the manufacturer’s installation instructions on site for a framing inspection upon setting the modules.
• All crawl space floor elevations should be at the same or higher elevation than the perimeter grade unless soil conditions are proven to exist that drains readily, the foundation is waterproofed or foundation drains are installed.

Our IVR phone based inspection scheduling system is not working consistently and will be phased out soon.  All contractors and permit holders wishing to call in an inspection should call our office at 757-253-6620 to receive a Customer ID and a password number (available when a permit is issued)  and refer to the building safety and permits web page for instructions under “NEW – e-permit website”  Inspections may be scheduled online as well as viewing results.

NOTE: When scheduling inspections on the new e-permit website please remember the following:

• We will not conduct a framing inspection unless all trades have passed or are scheduled at the same time as the framing inspection for any residential and most commercial permits.  Partial framing inspections may be done on a case by case basis on some commercial projects.  Framing inspections scheduled without the proper trade permits and inspections will automatically be cancelled.  Our system not longer automatically schedules trade inspections with framing requests.
• We will not conduct a final building inspection until all trade inspections have passed.  Trade inspections will not be done concurrently with the final building inspection.  Final building inspections scheduled without all other trades passed will automatically be cancelled.
• Please remember to schedule a concrete encased electrode inspection when a footing inspection has been scheduled for a new building.
• Footing inspections must pass before a first foundation request will be authorized
• Inspections must generally be conducted in the proper sequence.  Thank you for your help in tracking your own inspections prior to requests; it should be a simple matter with access to e-permits.  It helps us get the inspections scheduled for when you need them.

Please see the table In the International Energy Conservation Code (2009 IECC Table 402.4.2) “Air Barrier and Insulation Inspection Component Criteria” to familiarize yourself with what we are looking for on a visual inspection on a residence when no blower door test is being done.  Remember that Air Leakage (Section 402.4) is a mandatory compliance section and must be done whether or not there is a visual inspection called for.  The IECC may be found online at http://www.ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/Free_Resources/Virginia2009/09Virginia_main.html.  This table is applicable to all new homes and additions built under the 2009 Uniform Statewide Building Code.  Inspection requirements are found on the Building Safety and Permits web page under “Forms” entitled “Minimum Required Inspections” at the following link http://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/government/forms/code-comp.html

Please remember when scheduling an air barrier inspection that you must consult the manufacturer’s installation instructions for the air barrier you are using as well as the flashing details for your windows.  It would expedite inspections if this information was available on the jobsite.

Residential

• New homes: April 18, 2013

• Small jobs: April 25, 2013

• HVAC reviews: May 8, 2013
  

Commercial

We are currently reviewing commercial permit applications submitted on:

• Large jobs: May 10, 2013
• Small jobs: April 9, 2013

Fasteners penetrating preservative-treated wood.

Residential Plan Review

Please note that the effective date of the 2009 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) was March 1, 2011.