Special Inspection Program

The County of San Luis Obispo Department of Planning and Building provides the local building industry with the Special Inspection Program. Use of the program is mandatory when any special inspection is required on a project. The program provides a complete overview of the requirements for owners, design professionals, special inspectors, contractors, the building official, and all staff involved.

The goal of the program is to bring consistency and clear direction to the special inspection process. All required documentation is separated out for easy submittal, review, and acceptance. The entire process is described, from being approved as a special inspector to the hiring of special inspectors, the special inspection processes, and expectations, and finally to the acceptance of the required final report. The roles and responsibilities for all parties are clarified. Additionally, fillable PDF forms allow effortless preparation of the required documents.

The program is broken down into its components to provide instant access for the community. The forms are as follows:

  1. The “Special Inspection Program” document explains the entire process with expectations for all parties as well as references to the associated required forms.
  2. “Statement Of Special Inspection Agreement” (BLD-1031) is a required form that is received at application and approved through the plan review process. This document requires acknowledgements from all parties involved, and definition of their roles and responsibilities.
  3. “Statement Of Required Special Inspections” (BLD-1032) is a required form containing the list of required and specific special inspections required for a project, as well as specifying what shall be printed on the construction plans.
  4. “Special Inspection Daily Report” (BLD-1033) is a courtesy form and provided to show what information is required. The special inspector or agency may use their own form, but all information requested on BLD-1033 is required to be on the form that is prepared.
  5. “Special Inspection Discrepancy Notice” (BLD-1034) is a courtesy form and provided to show what information is required. The special inspector or agency may use their own form, but all information requested on BLD-1034 is required to be on the form that is prepared. A notice of discrepancy is commonly completed using “Special Inspection Daily Report” (BLD-1033), and this will continue to be accepted practice.
  6. “Special Inspection Final Report” (BLD-1035) is a courtesy form and provided to show what information is required. The special inspector or agency may use their own form, but all information requested on the BLD-1035 is required to be on the form that is prepared.

FAQS

The goal of the program is to bring consistency and clear direction on the entire special inspection process and repetitive recognizable appearance in required documentation for easy submittal, review and acceptance.

It lays out the entire process from being approved as a special inspector, to the hiring of special inspectors, special inspection processes and expectations and finally to the acceptance of the final reporting required. It clarifies the roles and responsibilities for all, it generously provides active fillable pdf forms that are required for the ease of use providing the consistency throughout.

The building official.

Yes, it’s maintained by Planning staff and posted on website for each calendar year.

Yes, there is. The list is updated annually and is available here on our website. 

Yes, they are:

  1. A letter from the firm or individual on what disciplines are sought for approval
  2. Copy of a valid photo identification
  3. A resume with a work history and experience
  4. An organizational chart from responsible licensed professional and down
  5. A copy of all current certifications
  6. For firms a spread sheet of all certified personnel and their certifications for quick reference guide

Shall be a consenting party by written acknowledgment of the Statement Of Required Special Inspections Agreement BLD-1032 and prepare the Statement Of Required Special Inspections BLD-1032 specific to the project to be submitted with the permit application and by imprinting the Statement Of Required Special Inspections BLD-1032 on a sheet of the plan set.

An agreement from all of roles and responsibilities from the owner, design professionals, special inspectors, contractor and the building official.

Cannot be in the employ of the contractor.

The project owner, the registered design professional in responsible charge, or an agent of the owner is responsible for funding special inspection services. Measures should be taken to ensure that the scope of work and duties of the special inspector as outlined in the Statement of Special Inspections are not compromised. The special inspector/agency shall not be in the employ of the contractor, subcontractor or material supplier (see Section 1704.2). In the case of an owner/contractor, the special inspector/agency shall be employed as determined by the building official.

  1. Acknowledgement of awareness of the special requirements contained in the Statement of Special Inspections
  2. Acknowledgement that control will be exercised to obtain compliance with the construction documents approved by the building official
  3. Procedures for exercising control within the contractor's organization, the method and frequency of reporting and the distribution of the reports
  4. Identification and qualifications of the person(s) exercising such control and their position(s) in the organization

1. Provide adequate notice so that the special inspector has time to become familiar with the project

2. Provide access to approved plans. The contractor is responsible for providing the special inspector with access to approved plans per Section 107.3.1

3. Provide all special inspection records submitted by the special inspector at the job site for review by the building department's inspector upon request

Owner, Architect, Engineers, Special Inspectors or Agency’s Licensed Professional, Contractor and Building Official.

At the time of application but understand at this time all signatures may not be known, but they shall be completed through the plan review process.

The Statement of Required Special Inspections is from CBC Chapter 1705 code section and Tables and shall be imprinted on the plan sheet to be unique to the specific project identifying only the inspections that are required.

At the time of application as it is required to be on the plans.

Required to be on the plans.

In the plan review process.

Takes place before any structural observation requirements and before and County inspection sign off.

No, currently typical job presence dialog between special inspectors and contractors is acceptable. The building Official need not be notified but the special inspector shall be approved for the discipline and to work in the jurisdiction for the calendar year as approved by the building official.

Special inspectors shall inspect all work according to the Statement Of Required Special Inspections for which they are responsible to determine compliance with the building division approved (stamped) plans and specifications, and the applicable provisions of Section 1704. No work shall be performed without the approval and permits from the building official.

The “Special Inspection Daily Report” form BLD-1033 is a courtesy form and is not required to be used. The special inspector or agency may use their own form, but all information requested on the BLD-1033 is required to be on the forms used.

The Special Inspection Discrepancy Notice (form BLD-1034) is a courtesy form and is not required to be used. The special inspector or agency may use their own form, but all information requested on the BLD-1034 is required to be on the forms used.

This is commonly completed using the Special Inspection Daily Report form BLD-1033 and is an acceptable practice to continue but all information requested on the BLD-1033 is required to be on the forms used.

Preconstruction meeting attendance, chronological daily field reports, and special inspectors or inspection agencies shall submit a final signed report to the building division stating that all items requiring special inspection and testing by the Statement Of Required Special Inspections were fulfilled and reported; and, to the best of their knowledge, all items are in conformance with the approved plans and specifications (see Section 1704.2.4). Items not in conformance, unresolved items or any discrepancies in inspection coverage (i.e., missed inspections, periodic inspection when continuous was required, etc.) should be specifically itemized in this report and stamped by the specified special inspection licensed professional. The form BLD-1035 is provided in this program for ease of use and identifying the minimum information required by the building official.

The special inspector or inspection agency may use their own form, but all the information on the BLD-1035 is required to be on the forms used.

  1. Review submittal documents for compliance with the special inspection requirements. The building official is charged with the legal authority to review plans, specifications pertaining to work and materials, the Special Inspection Program, and other submittal documents for compliance with code requirements per Sections 104.2 and 107. Approval for materials should be in accordance with Sections 104.9 and 104.11.
  2. Approve fabricator(s) used for building components installed on-site.
  3. Approve the Special Inspection Program submitted by the design professional in responsible charge and may require a preconstruction conference to review the program with all applicable members of the construction team.
  4. Approve special inspectors/inspection agencies. The building official is responsible for determining the competence of special inspectors for the types of work they will be inspecting per Section 1704. Qualifications for special inspectors are contained in Section 3 of this guide.
  5. Monitor special inspection activities at the job site to ensure that qualified special inspectors are performing their duties when work requiring special inspection is in progress (see Section 1704.2.4).
  6. Issuance of stop work orders. The building official is recognized as having the authority to stop work at the job site (see Section 115); however, the special inspector does not have this authority. Stop work orders may be issued in response to a discrepancy report that has been written by the special inspector.
  7. Approval to proceed. There are certain points of completion where work shall not proceed until approval by the building official has been given.
  8. Review inspection reports and authorize final inspection approval. The building official receives and reviews special inspection progress reports and final reports for compliance with the approved plans, specifications and workmanship provisions of the code (see Section 1704.2.4). The building official will not perform the final inspection and issue certificate of occupancy for a project until the final special inspection report has been reviewed and approved.