Whether you are building a residential or commercial building, your permit is not complete until your work passes the required inspections. Safety Code Officers use inspections to verify that your completed work meets safety standards.
Inspections are an important part of the building permit process. Whether you are building a residential or commercial building, your permit is not complete until your work passes the required inspections. Safety Code Officers use inspections to verify that your completed work meets safety standards.
Types of Inspections
Building (Residential or Commercial)
- Footing and foundation inspection
- Framing inspection
- Insulation and vapour barrier inspection
- Final building inspection
- Rough-in wiring inspection
- Underground inspection
- Final inspection
- Sinks
- Shower stalls
- Water pipes
- Bathtubs
- Drains
- Backwater valves
- Toilets
- Backflow prevention devices
You do not require a permit to replace a fixture or maintain an existing system which remains in the same location.
Mechanical (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)
- Ventilation systems
- Kitchen exhaust
- Residential hydronic systems
- Heat recovery ventilators
Request an Inspection
Anyone who holds a residential or commercial building permit is responsible for requesting inspections at specified stages of construction.
A permit must be obtained prior to booking an inspection. An adult (18 years+) must be present to provide access for inspections in occupied dwellings.
If an inspection is required for the next day, you must contact our office by phone at 311 before noon of the previous day. When booking your inspection, you may request your preferred date, select a morning or afternoon inspection and provide your contact information for updates.
To prepare for the required inspections in occupied homes, please ensure:
- An individual 18 years of age or older who is responsible for the property is present during the inspection
- Clear and unobstructed access to all areas of inspection is provided
- All pets are securely contained
- Property address is clearly visible
Please note: inspectors are required to wear shoes while performing their duties in your home
Extra Inspections
A fee of $250 shall be assessed for every re-inspection required as a result of any of the following:
- No address on site, building or unit as required
- Inspector unable to access the building after having been requested to inspect
- Project not ready for inspection after a request for inspection has been made
- Previously identified deficiency has not been corrected after a request for a re-inspection has been made
- Previously identified deficiency has not been corrected when the inspector has indicated that a reinspection is required and a reasonable time period has elapsed (typically 30 days) and a request for inspection has been initiated by the inspector or City of Edmonton POSSE system
- Approved plans have not been submitted, if required, after a request for inspection has been made
Cancelling an Inspection
You may request to cancel an inspection within 12 hours prior to the inspection by calling 311 or if outside Edmonton, calling 780-442-5311.
Inspections Phases of Construction
Building
- Footing and Foundation (unless going the route of compliance monitoring where photos can be submitted)
- Framing once complete
- Insulation and Vapour Barrier once installed
- Final
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Rough-In (prior to cover up by drywall)
- Final
Electrical
- Electrical Service (up to house)
- Rough-in (prior to cover-up)
- Final
Plumbing and Gas
- Plumbing and Gas Rough-In (prior to cover up), can be above ground or below ground
- Plumbing and Gas Final
All inspections for HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing and Gas must be completed before the Final Building inspection will be done.
Changes to Footing and Foundation Inspections
The number of mandatory Footing and Foundation Inspections has been reduced for home builders who meet these qualifications:
- You have passed the last 5 footing and foundation inspections on the first request
- All 5 inspections occurred within one year from the date that you are requesting an inspection
- Your inspection request is for a single detached, semi-detached or 3-4 unit row house in a greenfield neighbourhood
You must request an inspection for every project. The only change is that an inspection will be scheduled for only 5% of the requests made. For 95% of requests you will receive the response, No Footing and Foundation Inspection is Required.
The footing and foundation inspection will remain mandatory for:
- Infill construction
- Walkout basements
- Top of bank or high water table properties
Eligible builders who prefer to have City oversight on their footing and foundation constructions are invited to enroll in the Safety Codes Permits and Inspections Compliance Report Program. More information on this program can be found below. Builders who are already enrolled may continue to use the program.
This change aligns with the City of Edmonton’s Quality Management Plan (QMP) and will allow the City to focus its resources on more complicated inspections that pose a higher risk to public safety.
Safety Codes Permits and Inspections Compliance Report Programs
The Compliance Report Programs (CRP) are offered to provide Home Builders an alternative to conventional site inspections, while still satisfying the City of Edmonton’s Quality Management Plan (QMP).
The current Quality Management Plan mandates the minimum number of required inspection(s) per respective discipline for a residential building.
The Compliance Report Programs are not a verification of compliance (VOC), as they are not third-party verification, but rather a report that the City is prepared to accept for non-required inspections
The CRPs provide options for builders within their respective project schedules and ensure compliance with the Quality Management Program.
The City of Edmonton has established documentation requirements for each of the applicable programs:
Registration and Program Details
Home builder to request training via the applicable discipline:
- Building - buildingic@edmonton.ca
- Plumbing - plumbingcr@edmonton.ca
Upon acceptance of program request, you will be contacted by a City of Edmonton representative to coordinate on-site training at one of your projects where the applicable work is completed and visible.
Training will take approximately one hour. Contractor(s) and representative(s) from the builder shall be present.
Upon completion of the training, a probation period will begin, where the builder shall submit five Compliance Reports for auditing. Reports shall be submitted to the applicable discipline immediately following inspection and completion of the report.
City of Edmonton site inspection will be performed within two business days of receiving the report. Email outcome notification will be submitted to the builder.
Satisfactory review of five consecutive audits will complete the training. City of Edmonton email notification will be submitted to the builder.
Failure to comply with the Compliance Report Program Requirements may result in removal from the program.
For any questions or inquiries in relation to the programs please contact the respective discipline:
- Building: buildingic@edmonton.ca or 780-496-3102
- Plumbing: plumbingcr@edmonton.ca or 780-496-3117
Edmonton Service Centre
2nd Floor, 10111 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4
Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday
8am to 4:30pm
| Telephone | In Edmonton: 311 |
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