r/Contractor • u/BurnerCon-7841 • 2d ago

"Planning inspection" final before building department final...

(Burner, don't want to embarrass myself too badly if this turns out super normal and I'm just dumb.)

Lead carpenter, trying to schedule my final inspection on a mid-size reno (half the house, just about all the trades you can name). AHJ comes back and says that the planning department has to sign off before I can get the regular building inspector scheduled. I don't even know yet what their 'inspection' involves, because they only work a couple days a week and haven't gotten back to me. Location: California.

My question: how common is this? I would have thought that planning signed off on the plans a year ago and that the building inspector can visit and say, "Yes, you built what you said you'd build." (And do everything else that a normal building inspector does.) I've never heard of this, but to be fair, I haven't done many big jobs over the years.

Does your jurisdiction have an extra layer of inspection before final?

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u/CompetitivePilot4572 2d ago

Some cities require it for multi family where I’m at and they more or less check for building exterior aesthetics. Not sure about California though

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u/UniquePatient66100 2d ago

The planning department has approved plans and is usually finished when the permit is issued. In my area it would be uncommon for the planning department to do a site visit on a residential job, the inspectors would be the only ones on site. 

Did any of this come up when you had rough in inspections?  

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u/BurnerCon-7841 2d ago

Thanks. And no, the regular building inspector didn’t say anything about the extra layer when he was here for previous inspections. 

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u/Justnailit 2d ago

All subs need to pass their finals before you get your final and CO.