Construction Inspection and Observation

A Commitment to Meeting Project Compliance Requirements

After the collapse of a hotel’s walkway in Kansas City in 1981, the United States House of Representatives sought a way to ensure that all public facilities were constructed according to the design plans as well as local building codes. In 1988, the Building Officials and Code Administrators International (BOCA) introduced the first special inspection requirements.

Chapter 17 of the International Building Code, published by the International Code Council, requires that Special Inspections are performed during construction on many commercial projects. This important service consists of tests and inspections to assess if a project’s approved plans and specifications are being followed and comply with local building codes and ordinances. Inspections of soil and foundation construction, concrete construction, masonry and steel construction are some of the special inspection services that S.W.COLE can provide.

Our Inspection Professionals

Individuals who perform special inspections observe critical building or structural features to verify compliance to plans and specifications approved by the building official. These individuals, who must also be approved by the building official in charge of the project, are generally hired by the project owner or the design professional. A firm’s experience with similar projects, proximity of inspection and testing facilities and capabilities for inspection at a remote location are factors that are often considered when hiring a special inspection team. Among other duties, a special inspector is required to observe and inspect items specified by the design professional and report nonconforming items to the contractor.

Our Special Inspection Services

S.W.COLE employees from all offices have performed special inspections on hundreds of projects throughout northern New England. Some of the special inspection tasks our employees perform include:

• Soils Inspections: Verifications of site preparation prior to placement of prepared fill and verification of fill material and maximum lift thickness as well as inspection of installation and testing of pile and pier foundations
• Concrete Inspections: Installation observations of reinforcing steel, formwork, anchor bolts and placement methods as well as sampling and testing of fresh concrete
• Masonry Inspections: Verification of site-prepared mortar and grout, construction of mortar joints and locations of reinforcements and connectors
• Steel Inspections: Material verification of bolts, nuts and washers, structural steel and weld filler materials; visual and non-destructive inspection of bolted and welded connections
• Fire-Proofing Materials: Verification of the thickness, strength and density of materials
• Wood Framing and Fasteners: Material verification of framing and sheathing products, fasteners and connections