Examinations and Inspections
Inspection is the on-site verification that work conforms to the permit and the Code. Candidates must know when inspections are required (at prescribed stages, such as before covering work), how notice is given, and what powers an inspector has. Traps include the assumption that an inspection is a warranty of quality, and the assumption that a failed inspection automatically stops all work - a stop-work order is a distinct instrument, though an inspector may direct that work not proceed until deficiencies are corrected.
Key concepts: the inspector's right of entry, the requirement that the constructor notify at stages so inspection can occur, the recording of inspection results, and the consequences of proceeding without required inspection (the work may have to be exposed). Questions often present a builder who covers foundations without notice; the correct answer is that the inspector may require exposure and that non-compliance can ground an order or charge.
Another trap concerns the difference between inspection and professional review: an inspector is not obliged to supervise continuously or to detect every latent defect. The inspector verifies compliance at the time of inspection, and the constructor retains responsibility for conformance throughout.
Rule of thumb: notice, stage, record. If any of the three is missing, expect a question about consequences - exposure of covered work, orders, or refusal to proceed.
Worked example: a constructor pours footings and backfills before the scheduled inspection. The inspector may require the work to be uncovered for examination; the constructor bears the cost, and proceeding without inspection may support an order or prosecution.