STRUCTURAL MOMENTS...

Greetings!

 

What is your experience with construction inspections? How do inspectors behave when they walk into the job site? Do they act professionally or do they look for any reason to slow the project down and make your life miserable? Do you think inspections serve a good purpose?

The July issue of Structural Moments featured an article about the on-going litigation battle between the owner and the General Contractor of The Harmon Hotel at City Center in Las Vegas. What role do you think inspections played in the construction defects case of the $275 million project?

Building design and construction professionals should have a basic understanding of the requirements for inspections in general and structural inspections in particular. This month's focus article attempts to shed some light on inspections and their related code requirements.

Read my bioIn our line of work, we have all had some good and bad experiences with inspections. Please feel free to share them so we can improve the process.  

 

 

Best regards,

 

Mohammed Thomad, PE, SE

Principal

Focus On: Structural Building Inspections  

 

Inspection

Building design and construction professionals should have a basic understanding of the requirements for structural inspections. Most construction projects which require building permits and include structural work will also require some type of structural inspection by the building official. The purpose of inspections is to ensure construction compliance with approved construction documents.

 

Inspections are usually performed by inspectors who work for the government entity having jurisdiction over the project. Often times, inspections are also performed by third party inspectors working for private inspection agencies.

The administration and enforcement requirements for inspections are contained in Section 110 of the International Building Code (IBC). It lists specific inspections required by the building official at the various stages of project construction from foundations to framing.

Special inspections, when required by code or by design, are in addition to the inspections already listed in section 110 of the IBC. They refer to those that require special expertise and understanding to ensure compliance. Special inspections come in two forms, continuous and periodic. Continuous inspection requires full-time observation of the work by a certified inspector. On the other hand, as the name implies, periodic requires only part-time or intermittent observation.

IBC Section 1704 contains special inspection requirements for steel, concrete, masonry, soils, driven deep foundation elements, and cast-in-place deep foundation elements, to name a few. Depending on the element, fabrication, or connection, the code will dictate if the inspection must be continuous or periodic.

Understanding when, where and what types of inspections will be required is important for contractors and design professionals. Substantial savings can be achieved by limiting inspections or avoiding them altogether, when possible. Designers and contractors can exercise some creativity to find the right balance between cost and benefit in regards to inspections.

 

AUGUST  2012

In This Issue:
Focus On: Structural Building Inspections

Who We Are:

 

THOMAD Engineering is a client-focused structural engineering design and consulting firm established in 2003 and based in Las Vegas, Nevada. We are committed to providing creative solutions and excellent service to loyal clients on a wide range of projects.

 

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'Structural Moments' is a monthly e-newsletter published by the staff of THOMAD Engineering. It is intended to inform our valued clients, associates, and colleagues in the A/E/C industry and stimulate thoughtful dialogue with them.
THOMAD Engineering has been a proud member and supporter of the AIA Las Vegas chapter since 2003.
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Upcoming Projects

 

The following projects are currently under design or construction and will be featured in future issues of Structural Moments

  1. Bagatelle Nightclub at The Tropicana Las Vegas
  2. Renovation projects at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
  3. Custom Residence designed by noted architect Richard Meier
  4. Red Garter Casino Expansion & Facade Renovation in Northern Nevada

THOMAD Engineering LLC  |  Tel. 702.388.7755  |  Fax 702.388.7766

4535 W. Russell Road, Suite 12; Las Vegas, NV 89118