Plan Reading, Documentation and Reporting
Plan Reading
Plan reading is where every inspection begins. A candidate must be able to identify the sheet types and their order: title sheet, code summary, site/civil (C), architectural (A), structural (S), mechanical (M), electrical (E), plumbing (P), fire protection (FP), and detail/schedule sheets. Know the difference between a plan view, a section, an elevation, and a detail, and know how callouts, match lines, grid lines, keynotes, and revision clouds with delta triangles point you to the governing information.
What questions test
The traps are predictable. Scaled measurement is not a dimension - written dimensions govern; never scale a drawing for compliance unless it is marked to scale and even then only for rough checks. Notes marked "typical" apply everywhere the condition occurs unless a specific location says otherwise, and a specific note beats a general one. Dimensions may run to face of stud, face of concrete, or finished surface - always confirm which. The code summary sheet carries occupancy classification, type of construction, allowable area and height, and required fire-resistance; check the drawings against that summary before checking anything else.
Rule of thumb
Read general notes, the code summary, and the life-safety plan first, then work outward. Where documents conflict, the more specific and more recently issued document governs, and the building code governs over both.
Worked example: A corridor is drawn at 44 inches and dimensioned 44 inches, but a note adds 5/8-inch gypsum board each side. Clear width is 44 − 1.25 = 42.75 inches, so verify the required corridor width against the reduced clear dimension, not the framing line.
Documentation and Reporting
Inspection records are the inspector's product, and they are also potential evidence. Every entry should answer who, what, where, when, and under what authority. Identify the project, permit number, address, inspection type, date and time, weather or site conditions where relevant, persons present, what was observed, what was not observed, and the code section or approved-plan reference that applies. Sign with your name and credential.
What questions test
Use objective, factual language: "anchor bolts spaced 9 ft 6 in on center along the north sill plate" rather than "bolts look sloppy." Separate observation from conclusion. Never erase or overwrite a record - corrections are made with a single line through the entry, your initials, and the date, so the original remains legible. Photographs should be logged with location, direction, and date. Samples taken for testing require chain-of-custody documentation. Distinguish a verbal instruction from a written correction notice; verbal direction alone is weak documentation, so follow up in writing. Understand retention schedules and that these records are commonly discoverable in litigation.
Rule of thumb
The "cold file" test: could a reader who was never on site understand exactly what was seen, where, when, and why it did or did not comply? If not, rewrite the entry.
Worked example: Entry - "9:20 a.m., Building B, slab on grade, grid C-4 to C-6. Observed pour in progress; batch tickets collected for mix 4000-B; three sets of cylinders cast and stored on site; slump test witnessed, result recorded on lab form. No exceptions noted." That entry is dated, located, factual, and traceable.