this video will cover some of the frequently missed inspection items the methodology presented in this video should help you gain a better understanding of the foundation and slab inspection requirements a big thank you for those of you who have already subscribed and if you are new to this channel click the subscribe button the contents of these videos will continue to get better check out the sequence of building inspections video which is a precursor to this video and will give you further insight on the required building inspections i will first highlight a list of pre-inspection items that should be considered before the foundation inspection is scheduled you always want to double check the approved building plans for any project conditions which are special requirements to your project these project conditions range from tree protection requirements before construction starts compaction report requirements prior to the foundation inspection typically if a building pad is created soils engineer footings excavation inspection requirements prior to the building inspection refer to the project soils report for this requirement elevation certificate and associated documentation requirements prior to the foundation inspection for projects located in a flood hazard zone and special inspection requirements prior to the building inspection special inspections are normally done by third-party agencies or personnel with prior authorization by the jurisdiction special inspections can range from inspection of the soils concrete and anchorage project conditions are frequently overlooked and if missed can cause project delays so it is very important to understand what your project conditions are before you start the project let us start this inspection the foundation inspection like any other inspection starts as the inspector drives up to the project by verifying that the project address is posted and visible from the road or street this is so emergency personnel can find the project without delays best management practices for construction activities must be in place throughout the project and here are examples of these requirements which includes stockpiling of construction materials dirt and mud mitigation measures trash overfill and erosion control measures toilet facilities must also be provided on-site for the construction workers and two very important things inspectors need in order to start their inspection and that is thing number one the official stamped approved building plans and thing number two the building permit or permits and equally as important always be sure the work is done to the official approved building plans once all that is verified the building inspector starts the inspection with verifying the building setbacks the setbacks are important for two critical reasons number one the building needs to be constructed where it is legally supposed to be and number two setback proximity determines fire resistive requirements and depending on how close the building is to the property line projections may not be allowed verifying building setbacks includes identifying property lines with string lines to existing references such as the surveyor hubs please note that a survey letter by a licensed surveyor may be required so check with your local building department prior to the start of the project a share building setbacks from slopes are verified to the approved building plan and code minimum an important note it is not advisable to use existing fences to determine setbacks fences are replaced in time and often fences are not reinstalled on the legal property line it is also important to verify if there are any easements on your property easements such as utility easements are normally no build zones so check with your local agency and refer to the official approved plan the form boards are also verified to assure they are completed and adequately braced in order to hold the concrete that will be poured the footing depths and widths are verified and must be placed into undisturbed soils a minimum of 12 inches however the footing depths are ultimately determined by the number of stories of a building including site conditions such as soils flood hazard zones or seismic concerns all rebar must be tied in place during the foundation inspection the size and grade of rebar is also verified to the approved plan the size of the rebar is identified on the bar by a number which represents a unit of 1 8 of an inch such as number 4 rebar is 4 times 1 8 of an inch which equals half an inch therefore number 4 rebar is half an inch rebar and number 5 rebar is 5 8 of an inch rebar number 6 rebar is three quarters of an inch rebar and so forth the rebar must have clearances of three inches minimum to earth on all sides inch and a half clearance minimum to the forms and three quarters of an inch minimum to top of forms rebar splices must be a minimum of 20 inches for number four rebar or as per the approved plans if they are more restrictive and the rebar must be free of scale rust and oil hold down bolts and hold down straps must be secured in place all anchor bolts less than inch and a half diameter fasteners and washers in contact with pressure treated wood must be galvanized a minimum of a half inch diameter anchor bolts are required or as per the approved plan if it is more restrictive with galvanized 3x3 plate washer anchor bolts must be spaced a maximum of six foot on center for one and two stories a minimum of two anchor bolts are required per sill plate piece and anchor bolts must be no more than 12 inches from the edge of a mud sill splice or no closer than seven bolt diameters to the mud sill splice in other words half inch bolts three and a half inches minimum from mud sill land 5 8 bolts 4 and 3 8 of an inch minimum from mud cell end normally you will find the anchor bolt spacing and sizes on the shear wall schedule if specified on the building plan pre-manufactured shear wall templates and bolts must be in place for the inspection the building inspector verifies that the slab rebar is per the approved plan the building inspector verifies that a minimum three and a half inch slab thickness will be provided or as per the approved building plan if the approved plan is more restrictive verifying the slab thickness can be achieved by pulling string lines across the top of the forms check plans and soils report for required four inches of base gravel and six mil minimum polyethylene vapor retarder inhabitable areas of a building however it is not a bad idea to install a vapor retarder in a garage slab or any other uninhabitable space in the event you ever convert these areas into habitable spaces building inspectors also verify if perimeter installation is required generally this is required in some regions and very often required when floor radiant heating is installed and now i will briefly touch on slab utility items protection of piping against direct contact with concrete is verified during this lab inspection as shown here when it comes to slab electrical the building inspector verifies that the concrete encased electrode is installed which typically consists of a minimum 20 foot long half inch continuous rebar or a minimum 20 foot long number four bare copper wire at the bottom three inches of the footing the electrode is then extended a minimum of six inches above the mud still well this concludes the foundation and slab inspection in conclusion this video does not cover every possible inspection item however the contents in this video can offer basic fundamentals to which people can build on i hope this video is of help to you continue to stay tuned and continue to stay awesome until next video take care [Music]