When you hold a building permit, the work has to be inspected at set stages before you can carry on, and a building cannot be lived in or used until it passes its final inspection or is granted occupancy. The inspector works for the municipality (the authority having jurisdiction) and their job is to confirm the work matches the building code and the approved plans. You book each inspection; the inspector signs it off, or fails it and tells you what to fix before they return.
The inspection stages
The exact stages are set by your permit, but a typical residential project follows this order. Each stage must be inspected and approved before you cover it up or move on:
- Footing and foundation: before concrete is poured, so the inspector can confirm depth, soil bearing and rebar.
- Framing (structural): once the structure is up but still open, to check the load path, fasteners and spans.
- Plumbing rough-in: drainage, waste, vent and supply lines before they are closed in, often with a pressure or water test.
- Electrical rough-in: wiring and boxes before insulation, inspected by the electrical safety authority (see The Canadian Electrical Code).
- HVAC rough-in: ducting and gas lines before they are concealed.
- Insulation and vapour barrier: before drywall goes up, to confirm the building envelope.
- Final: the completed job, confirming everything works and is safe.
The cardinal rule: never close in work that still needs inspection. If drywall goes up before the framing, plumbing or electrical rough-in is signed off, the inspector can make you open it back up.
What inspectors look for
An inspector is checking that the finished and in-progress work meets the code and the approved drawings. In practice they focus on:
- Structure: that the building will stand up, with the right framing, connections and load paths.
- Fire and life safety: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, fire separations, egress windows in bedrooms, and safe stair and guard dimensions.
- Plumbing integrity: correct venting, slope, materials, and that pressure tests hold.
- Electrical safety: proper grounding, circuit protection, box fill and clearances, inspected by the electrical authority.
- The envelope: insulation, air sealing and vapour barrier matching what the code and the energy requirements demand.
- Matching the plans: that what was built is what the permit approved. Changes on the fly may need a revised permit.
Inspectors are not there to catch you out. A clean, accessible site with the work left open at the right stage, and the approved drawings on hand, gets you through faster.
Occupancy
Occupancy is the point at which a building is legally allowed to be lived in or used. For most small residential jobs, passing the final inspection is what clears the building for use. Larger or more complex projects may require a formal occupancy permit or an occupancy approval from the building department before anyone moves in, and some allow conditional or partial occupancy while minor items are finished.
Moving in before occupancy is granted is a real risk. It can breach the permit, void parts of your home insurance, and complicate any later sale (see Unpermitted Work and Local Codes). Confirm with the building department exactly what sign-off is needed before the space is used.
Common mistakes
- Covering up work before it is inspected. Closing in framing, rough-in plumbing or electrical means the inspector can order it reopened.
- Skipping a stage. Each inspection must pass before the next stage proceeds. You cannot make up a missed rough-in at final.
- Deviating from the approved plans. On-site changes can fail an inspection or require a permit revision.
- Occupying too early. Using the building before final sign-off or occupancy approval can breach the permit and affect insurance.
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