Unpermitted Basement Finish with New Circuits
A homeowner calls for a final inspection on a basement finish that was done without a permit. The work includes six new receptacles, four recessed lights on a new 15 A circuit, a new 20 A circuit for a bathroom fan, and a relocated laundry receptacle. The drywall is already closed. The homeowner says the previous owner did the work and that the city should just approve it because it looks fine. You have the original permit file, which shows no basement scope. There is no evidence of inspection at rough-in, and one receptacle in the finished wall tests open ground.
1. Describe how to handle the permit status and what the inspector can and cannot do at this stage.
Read the worked answer
The inspector cannot simply approve concealed work that was never inspected at rough-in. The correct process is to document the unpermitted scope, require the owner to apply for a permit for the basement electrical work, and require an inspection plan that addresses the concealed portions. That typically means opening enough drywall to verify cable routing, staple spacing, box fill, and protection from physical damage, or providing other approved means of verification. The inspector should not accept the previous owner's identity as a reason to waive the permit. The record should state what was found, what is required, and the deadline. Approval is withheld until the concealed work is verified and any defects corrected.
2. The open-ground receptacle tests open. What are the likely causes and what should the inspector require?
Read the worked answer
An open ground on a receptacle in finished space usually means the equipment grounding conductor is not connected at the device, is broken in the cable, or the receptacle is a two-wire device installed without a ground and without the required protection. Because the wall is closed, the inspector should require the circuit to be traced and the fault located. If the ground conductor is intact at the panel, the likely fault is at the device box or a splice. The inspector should require correction at the source, not just installation of a GFCI receptacle as a workaround, unless the code path for an ungrounded circuit is properly applied and documented. The final inspection should include a retest of every receptacle on the affected circuit.