Inspection Procedures

In order to provide better, faster inspection service to you, the City of Cathedral City Building Department is asking that certain procedures be followed regarding required building inspections.

CALL IN INSPECTIONS ON THE RECORDER LINE (770-0341).
Inspections called into the regular business line have at times been lost or delayed because this line is shared with other City departments, please use the inspection line for inspections. To prevent any delays in receiving your inspection, please make sure you give the correct street address. All requests for inspections MUST be called in advance and received by 6:30 a.m. for a same day inspection. We will accept requests for a.m./p.m., however, to better route inspections we would prefer an "Anytime of Day" type request.

• Post the address on all job sites.
• Have the job card (Inspection Record) on-site for the inspection. The approved plans and calcs MUST be on the job site for ALL INSPECTIONS.
  NOTE: Any deviation or changes to approved plans must be submitted and approved prior to the inspection being done. We realize that having the job card on-site during underground plumbing and footing inspections are difficult because there is nothing to place it on, and little to attach it to, but if it could at least be visible (taped to a vent stack, attached to a vertical board, or on the back of the address) it would save a lot of time for you and us. REMEMBER – NO JOB CARD – NO INSPECTION.
• A chemical toilet and blowsand fencing or block wall is REQUIRED to be on the site before requesting the first inspection.
• A trash container is REQUIRED to be on the job site as soon as the JOB starts. Please have everyone on your job use it.
• The developer shall obtain an Encroachment Permit (Class IV) in conjunction with the issuance of the Building Permit for required improvements within the City right-of-way. The developer shall construct a driveway approach and install a five (5) foot side sidewalk, at back-of-curb, along the entire property frontage.
• All on-site utility lines shall be installed underground.

The City Of Cathedral City will require a "Form Certification" stamped and signed by a registered civil engineer, licensed land surveyor, or licensed architect prior to the ground plumbing inspection. The form certification will be done after the forms are set and prior to placement of any underground piping, conduits, wiring, etc. The form certification will be in written form and attest that the forms as set are in compliance with the APPROVED plot plan and that all City requirements are met as to setbacks to property lines, finished floor elevations, and a compaction test if a grading plan was required. The form certification will be delivered to the Building Division and on file prior to the request for "ground plumbing" inspection.

The following is a list of the inspections required for a typical frame and stucco construction which most of you are using. THE INSPECTIONS ARE LISTED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SHOULD OCCUR. If you have special conditions, engineering, or masonry, you may be required to have additional inspections – if in doubt, ask the inspector when he/she is there for the preceding inspection.

• UNDERGROUND PLUMBING.
  Drain, waste and vent piping, trenches must be open, and all lines MUST be filled with water to a ten (10) foot head.
  
• FOOTINGS.
  All footings are to be per the approved plan. All hold down bolts, straps, etc., and reinforcing steel SHALL be in place. All piping shall be sleeved or wrapped where it penetrates the footing, and slab, and a minimum of 2 (two) inches of sand over the water piping under the slab and provide test of water lines.
  
• ROOF NAIL.
  All roof sheathing SHALL be nailed or stapled per specifications. ALL roof penetrations (plumbing vents, skylights and dormers) SHALL be cut through the sheathing and roof jacks or framing SHALL be in place, Backing for "Z" bar or other metal flashing SHALL be in place. All shear panels must be in place. Have an APPROVED ladder on the job site.
  
• OK TO WRAP (OPTIONAL).
  The ok to wrap inspection is optional. It is given as a courtesy to allow the builder to install lath paper to the exterior framing in order to protect the wood from the sun. All exterior framing must be complete. All bracing, window frames, sliding door frames, plumbing protective straps, attic vents, metal flashings, and window flashings shall be in place.
  
• FRAMING.
  At the time of the framing inspection, the roof should be water tight and tile loaded. Framing inspections SHALL include ALL wood framing, rough electric wiring, rough plumbing, rough gas test, and mechanical ducting. All electrical outlet boxes MUST be in place, A.C/F.A.U. registers and ducting MUST be in place, all drain lines and water lines SHALL extend beyond the wood framing far enough to allow the installation of drywall. ALL plumbing protective straps, water line hold down straps, beam connector straps and window/sliding door frames MUST be in place. All required metal sleeves required in the one (1) hour wall SHALL be in place.
  
• INSULATION.
  The insulation inspection is a REQUIRED inspection. You must also provide the City with an original "Insulation Certificate" which STATES the amount of insulation used in exterior walls and ceiling of the building and is WET SIGNED by the installer. The amount of insulation shown on the certificate MUST be the same as is shown on the energy calculations (Title 24) submitted with the building plans. All penetrations in the building envelope are to be sealed.
  
• LATH AND DRYWALL.
  Drywall is to be installed and affixed to the framing per Code. Drywall is NOT to be taped or mudded until AFTER this inspection. Lathing shall be installed per Code, flashing, counter flashing, metal flashings, and "Z" bar are to be in place. Lath SHALL be attached with furring nails where required around some doors, windows, pop-outs and vents.
  
• TEMPORARY USE OF PERMANENT POWER (30 DAY ELECTRIC).
  An insulation certificate and completed sub-contractors list MUST be submitted to the Building Department at the time of your temporary use of permanent power inspection. All sub-contractors doing business within the city must have a City of Cathedral City Business License. This list is checked by our Business License Department. Time delays are possible when incomplete lists are submitted which may hold-up your utility release. The builder or prime contractor may be responsible for paying for the sub-contractor’s business license; therefore, it’s your responsibility to make sure your subs have a business license before you have them do any work.
  
  At the time of temporary use of permanent power, all electric fixtures, smoke detectors, switch plates, and cover plates SHALL be in place, the electric panel SHALL have the circuits listed and labeled. The temporary electric MUST be hooked up for testing outlets prior to final inspection.
  
• FINAL GAS PRESSURE TEST.
  This inspection can be done at anytime after the drywall inspection. The gauge MUST hold 10 lbs of pressure for at least 15 (fifteen) minutes.
  
• FINAL INSPECTION.
• The Building Department cannot perform a final inspection until Public Works signs off whatever driveway approach or sidewalk you may have installed. Please call 770-0367 to schedule your final with Public Works. Your request must be received by 6:30 a.m. for a same day inspection.
• After a Public Works final, you are now ready for the Building Department. Essentially what you are saying is that the building is now ready to be "lived in". EVERYTHING must be COMPLETE, toilets MUST be usable, shower and tubs MUST be ready to receive water, kitchens MUST be able to be used to prepare and cook food. The building MUST be safe for those who live there.
• Electric must be on at final inspection.
• ALL mechanical equipment MUST be connected to the appropriate ducting, and be able to be connected to the utilities.
• ALL plumbing fixtures SHALL be installed, faucets in place, and water system under pressure. The hot water heater MUST be installed. The garage/living area door SHALL have the self-closer installed and in working order and threshold in place.
• Permanent appliances such as garbage disposals or dishwashers MUST be pig-tailed and installed.
• Landscaping and sprinkler system MUST be installed.
• The lot SHALL be cleaned of all construction debris, as well as any spillage or trash which has blown off your site onto adjacent lots.

REINSPECTION

When calling in for reinspections on the inspection line, please state that you are calling in a reinspection and give inspector’s name. The Building Department had adopted a policy of having the same inspector, when practical, who wrote the correction notice do the reinspection. The purpose of this policy is twofold;

• To prevent a second inspector from making another list of correction(s); and
• The inspector who wrote the correction notices knows the exact corrections to be made and how they were to be accomplished.

After the second called inspection for the same correction or corrections, a reinspection fee may be charged.

We in the Building Department hope that the above information is going to be helpful to the builder and to us. It should save both of us some time because you know what we will be looking for at each step and we will spend less time doing reinspections.