What Is a Framing Inspection Checklist?
A framing inspection checklist is a template that guides third-party and city assessors when checking a property under construction. It ensures that each structural member is inspected so the house foundation holds the structural loads of the house or building.
The guide is used during a framing inspection after the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical inspections have been done. During this type of checkup, a certified building inspector will review if structural members of the property comply with the building permit drawings. Some of the things that will undergo inspection are:
- Columns
- Beams
- Anchorage of building frames
- Floor joists
- Fire separation, collapse, and reduction
- Support of walls
- Wall studs
- Roof space ventilation
After passing the framing inspections, contractors can then proceed to complete the whole building.
This article covers the following topics:
1. When to call for a rough framing inspection
2. How to pass your framing inspection
3. Why you should use a framing inspection checklist
When to Call for a Rough Framing Inspection?
A rough framing inspection is the first part of a four-way inspection during a building or house construction. It should be done or requested after the plumbing and heating system have been roughed in and before installing the insulation.
There are a hundred and one items the inspector will look for during the framing inspection but the most important parts are the structural items. The assessor will inspect bearing walls and point loads to ensure they are transferred all the way to the foundation. Fire blocking and bracing will also be included on the framing inspection checklist.
If pre-assembled walls are used, they must be listed in the International Code Council (ICC). It should comply with the ICC quality control requirements. Furthermore, the contractor or manufacturer should present a copy of the third-party evaluation report on the wall assembly. The inspector will, then, verify if the document bears the name and address of the manufacturer as well as the third-party evaluation report number.
When you request a framing inspection, you need to present five pieces of information:
- Building permit number
- Type of inspection
- Requested inspection date
- Inspection time – morning or afternoon
- Name and phone number
Framing inspections are very critical. Leaving items uninspected can result in life-threatening safety hazards, especially in building constructions. Inspectors are aware of the critical role they play in ensuring safety. However, the number of items they need to check can cause them to overlook certain items on the framing inspection checklist.
For example, failure to check the incorrect measurement of the stair headroom could result in stairs that have wrong measurements. Correcting that mistake will be very costly if the stairs have been constructed. They have to take down the whole thing and reconstruct it again.
How to Pass Your Framing Inspection?
Failing the framing checkup can cost a lot of money, especially if work will stop just to repair the errors. Here are the common mistakes you need to avoid to pass the framing evaluation:
1. Nailing Schedules
The Universal Building Code indicates that the structural wall sheathing should have nailing patterns of 12” on the center in the field and 6” on the center along the edges. Avoid driving the nail into the sheathing by adjusting the air pressure.
2. Full Bearing
Place a column under the girder bearing on a wall. They must have the same width so the load is adequately transferred through the wall and into the footing.
3. Put Shim Headers
Put a wedge in the gaps between the bottom of the header and trimmer at the window. It will create a solid wood transfer. Standard wood wedges get crushed under load, so use steel washers and hammer them tight.
4. Install Fire Blocking
Put fire blockings in floors, walls, and ceiling so you won’t have a concealed space that’s more than 10 feet long. If you have back-to-back walls with an air space between them. Install a full-height draft stop on the center.
5. Add Studs on the Boring
Bathroom walls often have 3-inch diameter vent pipes that go through 3 1/2 -inch stud walls. Add studs on both sides of the piping or specially designed metal plates to strengthen the existing studs on the wall.
6. Join Top Plates
Join two sections of a plate by overlapping the top piece over the bottom piece at least 4 feet on the next wall section. Also, ensure that the engineered roof and floor systems have lateral bracings as indicated in the details in the truss suppliers’ plan. If the building inspector does not locate the exact location of the bracing, you will fail the inspection.
Why You Should Use a Framing Inspection Checklist
Lumiform makes it easier for you to assess the framing inspection. Use the Lumiform mobile app for documentation via smartphone or tablet, the app guides you through all documentation processes. Clean, transparent documentation helps you avoid high fines..
With the app, you can develop a paperless within minutes or use one of our templates. Easily add a variety of functions, like capturing photos, signatures, checkboxes and much more to support your inspection procedure. In the end, you can export your completed framing inspection checklist and send it straight to supervisors. The best part? Can be accessed at any time and from anywhere.
- The form builderfrom Lumiform helps you to convert any individual paper list into a digital checklist without much effort.
- In addition, we offer more than 12,000 templates in our library to help companies get started digitally in no time.
- All results, images and comments are automatically bundled in a digital report.
