Construction inspection is the observation of certain aspects of construction to ensure that those parts of a project are built according to the approved plans.
Since the approved construction plans most likely had to be designed to be in compliance with various regulatory requirements, it would be the responsibility of a construction inspector to be sure that the site contractors are following the plans so that the project also complies with the regulations after construction.
Examples of What Items Are Inspected
The following are some examples of items that could be inspected during construction.
1) Earth compaction – A common construction requirement (especially for larger projects that involve a lot of filling of earth) is the compaction of fill material to a certain density. A construction inspector would use special equipment to measure this density at certain intervals during these parts of the construction.
2) Stormwater conveyance system installation – An inspector might have to check to see that a proposed stormwater conveyance system is installed according to the approved plans and with regard to proper material around the pipes and other structures.
3) Stormwater management systems – With stormwater management being such a main part of land development, a field inspection of the construction of proposed stormwater management systems could be a requirement of certain reviewing agencies.
Regular Inspectors
For some projects, regular construction inspectors might be hired to work full time and be present at the construction site through much of the construction. This could be the case for those inspections involving earth compaction testing.
For other projects, construction inspection might only be required as necessary such as for the installation of stormwater management systems.
An Important Component for Quality Control
With all of the time and effort that goes into getting a land development project approved, construction inspection provides a way to check that what gets approved actually gets built.
Related: What Is the Difference Between Land Development and Construction?
