On-site inspections
Site inspections are a requirement of the Building Regulations.
Mandatory notification must be given of certain stages of work to allow a Building Control officer to carry out an inspection to check compliance with the approved plans and Building Regulations.
The work stages requiring each inspection will be noted by the Building Control Officer during the assessment of the Building Control Application.
An inspection list (example below) will accompany the passing of plans notice. Case specific inspections may be added to the list and the required inspection stages will be indicated by an X.
Upon notification, Building Control has up to 2 working days to arrange an inspection for general items and up to 5 working days for more involved inspections (these are indicated using bold text in the list). Other intermediate inspections are also made which include concrete reinforcement, fire stopping and any other concealed work that may be hidden once the works have been completed.
The list includes these stages and will be refined based upon the merit of the application. For each inspection please allow 2 days prior notice to the Department with exception to those in bold which should be given 5 days
Commencement of work | Sprinklers fitted | ||
Drainage connection | Renewable energy inspection | ||
Covering of any excavation for foundation | Walls to roof level prior to closing cavities | ||
Covering any foundation concrete | After fixing cavity barriers to timber frame | ||
Material laid over site membrane | Roof carcase prior to felting | ||
Damp proof course laid | Electrical installation (First Fix) | ||
Drains ready for inspection | Prior to boarding compartment walls | ||
Drains backfilled and ready for test | Prior to boarding compartment floors | ||
Chamber joists installed/walls at that level | Occupation of building or part | ||
Drainage | Final completion work | ||
Foundations | Insulation | ||
Smoke test on flue | Intermediate | ||
Sound test | Air Permeability Test | ||
Engineering |
Mandatory notification is made by using the “request an inspection” or by emailing buildingcontrol@gov.im Please ensure you have your Building Control Application Reference number to hand. If the site will be unattended requiring an appointment to be made, please state this on the email or under "builder name" on the inspection request form. You may copy the Building control officer in when you email but do not use an officer as the only point of contact for an inspection request in case that officer is away from the workplace.
We will do our best to inspect without delay, (preferable by phone or by email before 10am) but timing is largely dictated by the volume of inspection requests received by the Department.
The first mandatory notification should always be the commencement of work which should be accompanied by the required inspection fee and not already paid. The amount due by way of the inspection fee is notified to the applicant (or their agent) in writing at the time that the plans are passed.
Please ensure the site for inspection is safe and accessible. Any non-compliant work found during an inspection must be corrected and then a new inspection request submitted for a further inspection.