Description
Inspect residential and commercial buildings to determine structural soundness and compliance with building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, accessibility, and energy codes, approved plans, and regulations. Perform inspections during construction, renovation, and occupancy; document findings and enforce corrective actions.
- • Inspect residential and commercial buildings, foundations, framing, roofing, and site work for structural quality, life safety, and code compliance.
- • Inspect rough and final plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and gas installations for proper materials, clearances, and workmanship.
- • Verify means of egress, fire-resistance rated construction, firestopping, and fire protection features meet code.
- • Check accessibility features, energy-efficiency measures, and ventilation for compliance with applicable codes.
- • Monitor construction sites to ensure permitted work, required inspections, and safety practices are followed.
- • Measure dimensions and verify level, plumb, alignment, setbacks, and elevations against approved plans and codes.
- • Review and interpret plans, blueprints, and specifications to confirm field work matches approved documents.
- • Approve inspection results; issue correction notices, stop-work orders, or violations as needed.
- • Approve certificates of occupancy and sign off on permits within delegated authority.
- • Maintain daily inspection logs, photographs, and electronic records of findings and approvals.
- • Conduct code compliance inspections for existing buildings, tenant improvements, and changes of use.
- • Witness and document required tests, such as pressure tests, equipment start-up, sprinkler and alarm acceptance, and smoke control tests.
- • Use meters, gauges, and test equipment to verify installations and performance.
- • Confer with owners, contractors, architects, and engineers to explain requirements and recommend remedial actions.
- • Review and approve building plans within authority or refer for plan review corrections.
- • Train, mentor, or coordinate other inspectors and manage inspection schedules.
- • Estimate the value of work for fee verification and the cost of required corrections.
- • Participate in hearings, appeals, or enforcement actions and prepare formal reports.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
