WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION

Transcription

1 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION Department of Building Inspection 1660 Mission Street San Francisco, CA General Information Code Questions Fax September 2005

2 SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTION BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION WHAT IS THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION [BID]? The Building Inspection Division [BID] is the service area within San Francisco s Department of Building Inspection that enforces the provisions of the San Francisco Building and Mechanical Codes. These Codes contain minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property and public welfare. These Codes also regulate the design, construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, moving or demolition of buildings in order to insure the safe use of such buildings in San Francisco. WHAT SERVICES DOES THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION PROVIDE? The Building Inspection Division provides two main services: ➊ ➋ Inspection Services... to insure that new construction or alterations to existing structures are being safely done and according to the minimum standards provided by the Building and Mechanical Codes. Investigation of Complaints... to encourage property owners to maintain their buildings in a safe manner according to the minimum standards provided in the Building and Mechanical Codes. (See What Types of Complaints Are Handled by BID below.)

3 Other services provided by the Building Inspection Division are: ➊ ➋ ➌ ➍ ➎ Pre-application inspections; Off-hours inspections; Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance inspections required for alteration projects; Time extensions for building permits; Inspections for police and fire permits. WHAT IS A BUILDING PERMIT? A building permit is a document issued by the Department of Building Inspection that allows or permits --the owner of a property to construct a new building or to repair or alter an existing building. In very many instances especially for clear, straightforward work like kitchen and bathroom remodeling, a building permit application can be reviewed and a building permit will be issued over the counter. However, if plans are required for your job, a building permit will be issued to a property owner or his/her agent once the Plan Check Division of the Department of Building Inspection has reviewed and approved plans and a permit application for construction or alteration at a property or site. WHEN IS A BUILDING PERMIT NEEDED? Almost all construction or alteration to buildings requires a permit. If you are uncertain about the need for a permit, please call Building Inspection s Public Information Counter for help (telephone: SFBLDG).

4 WHAT IS A JOB CARD? A job card is a record of inspections of your work made by the district building inspector, who will make notes on it and sign it each time s/he visits your job site. The job card is given to you when you are issued a building permit. And it should be kept on the job site at all times until work is completed. The job card is an important record of the Building Inspection Department s signing off on your completed work. When your job is finished and your work is finaled (see below), you should keep the job card -- along with your building permit--with your permanent records on your property. HOW DO I REVISE MY PERMIT? If you have a permit for specific approved work and you want to revise the permit to include additional work on the same job, you must bring your revised plans to the Building Inspection Department and file a new permit application. (A copy of the previously approved plan shall be included for reference purposes.) When these revised plans are approved, you will be issued a new permit and another job card for the additional work you want to do. HOW DO I EXTEND MY PERMIT? If you cannot start or complete your job within the timeframes that are set on your building permit, you must complete a permit extension form and pay a fee before the start or completion dates of your original building permit expire. Start and/or completion dates are extended for 90 days at a time. Unless approved by the Director of Building Inspection, only three permit extensions may be granted by the Building Inspection Division.

5 HOW DO I RENEW MY PERMIT? If your building permit has expired, you may renew it by filing a new permit application with the original permit application attached to it. On the new permit application you must state a cost estimate for the remaining value of work to be done. Bring your job card to show the progress of inspections in support of the stated remaining value. The permit fee will be based on this estimate. After issuance of the new permit, the estimated remaining value will be verified and signed off by the district building inspector. However, the permit fee will be revised and a Notice of Violation will be issued for remaining work which is determined to be under valued. DO I NEED TO RENEW MY PERMITS SEPARATELY? Generally, up to three permits at one building may be renewed under a single new permit application. AT WHAT POINT DO I NEED TO CALL AN INSPECTOR WHEN I HAVE A PERMIT? If the words contact district inspector at start of work are stamped on the back of the building permit application, you must call the district building inspector before you begin work. Otherwise, each phase of the work must be inspected before it is covered up. Required OK to cover inspections include, but are not limited to: prior to pouring concrete; under floor inspections; framing inspections prior to sheetrocking; inspection of T-bar ceilings; exterior lath, sheetrock nailing; and final inspection.

6 WHEN DO I NEED MY SPECIAL INSPECTIONS DONE? If a special inspection for certain work is called for on a building permit, the property owner must employ the special inspector and must supply the name of the special inspector to the plan checker prior to start of work for which special inspection is required. Special inspections are in addition to those inspections performed by the Building Inspection Division. The property owner must supply the Plan Check Division with special inspection compliance reports for their approval, before a job will be finaled by the district building inspector. If you have any questions about the details or extent of a required special inspection, you should call the plan checker assigned to your project. If there are any field problems with your special inspection, you should call your district building inspector. The division telephone number is on your job card. HOW DO I SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION? You may call the Building Inspection Division at anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) to schedule an appointment. The telephone number is HOW DO I GET A FINAL? When all work on your job has been completed and inspected, call your district building inspector for a final inspection. Before calling for a final inspection, be sure that all required plumbing, electrical, mechanical, fire, health and special inspections have been signed-off on your job card, and that your permit is current and active (not expired or past completion date.)

7 WHEN DO I NEED A CERTIFICATE OF FINAL COMPLETION [CFC]? A Certificate of Final Completion (CFC) is a document that attests that a building is safe and sound for human occupancy. A Certificate of Final Completion is required for all: ➊ new buildings; ➋ ➌ ➍ ➎ ➏ ➐ ➑ ➒ horizontal or vertical additions to existing buildings; changes in occupancy classification; changes in the number of dwelling units. legalization of an existing illegal use or occupancy; removal of an existing illegal use or occupancy; correction of all code violations necessary to clear a Director s Order of Abatement; correction of all code violations cited in a 3-R Physical Inspection Report; and seismic upgrades under the jurisdiction of the Seismic Safety Section. WHEN WOULD I NEED A TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY [TCO]? A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy [ TCO ] is normally issued to property owners who would like to occupy their property before all work allowed under a building permit has been finished; and for which a CFC is required. Provided that all life/safety and disabled access work has been completed-and provided that no substantial hazards exist,-a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy [ TCO ] will be issued by the Department of Building Inspection when only finish work remains.

8 WHAT TYPES OF COMPLAINTS ARE HANDLED BY THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION? The following types of complaints are handled by the Building Inspection Division: ➊ Construction or alteration work in progress without a permit; ➋ ➌ ➍ ➎ ➏ Unauthorized changes of occupancy in a non-residential property, and in one/two family dwellings; Unauthorized changes in the use of a non-residential property. Unsafe conditions in existing one/ two family dwellings, non-residential buildings and constructions sites, which endanger the occupants or the public; Excavation without shoring; and Work exceeding the scope of an active permit. Upon verification of a complaint relative to violation(s) of the San Francisco Building or Mechanical Codes, a building inspector will issue to a property owner a Notice of Violation that will: ➊ ➋ ➌ Identify the violation(s); Instruct as to actions that will remedy the violation(s); and Give a deadline by which the violation(s) must be remedied.

9 HOW DO I COMPLY WITH A NOTICE OF VIOLATION [NOV]? Within the timeframe that is set on a Notice of Violation, a property owner must: ➊ ➋ ➌ Apply for and obtain a building permit to abate all the violation(s) listed on the Notice of Violation; Perform the work to abate all the violation(s); phone the Building Inspection Division prior to covering up any work performed to schedule all necessary inspections (separate plumbing and/or electrical permits may be required); and Phone the Building Inspection Division and schedule a "final" inspection when all work required on the Notice of Violation has been completed. WHAT ARE THE INSPECTORS OFFICE HOURS AND WHEN ARE THEY AVAILABLE TO PERFORM INSPECTIONS? District building inspectors may be reached by telephone ( ) Monday through Friday between 7:30 & 8:30 a.m. and between 3:00 & 4:00 p.m. You may also visit an inspector between these hours at 1660 Mission Street, 3rd floor. District building inspectors are available to perform inspections Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

10 DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTION 1660 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA (415) Information - (415) Fax The Department of Building Inspection is charged with implementing and enforcing local, state, and federal regulations and controls that govern the design, construction, quality, use, occupancy, and location of buildings and structures within the City and County of San Francisco. A seven-member Building Inspection Commission governs the Department. ACTING DIRECTOR 6TH FLOOR Office Fax DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INSPECTION SERVICES 3RD FLOOR Office Fax ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PERMIT SERVICES 2ND FLOOR Office Fax ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE DIVISION (AFD) Mission St., 3RD Floor Manager Office Fax Provides support to the department in the areas of fiscal management, purchasing, employee services, and related data collection. BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION (BID) - 3RD Floor Chief Building Inspector Office Fax Inspects buildings for compliance with building code requirements for building permits and responds to complaints on residential and commercial buildings. Building Inspectors Office Hours - 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m. and 3:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. CENTRAL PERMIT BUREAU (CPB) - 1ST Floor Acting Manager Office Fax Issues building, plumbing and electrical permits; collects fees for processing applications for DBI and other City agencies. CODE ENFORCEMENT SECTION (CES) Mission St., 3rd Floor Supervisor Office Fax Responsible for abatement of code violation cases referred from the building, plumbing, and electrical divisions. COMMERCIAL PLAN CHECK (CPC) - 2ND Floor Chief Building Inspector Office Fax Screens, reviews, and approves commercial tenant improvement applications for compliance with building, and disabled access regulations. DISABLED ACCESS SECTION (DAS) - 3RD Floor Supervisor Office Fax Responsible for the intake and resolution of all complaints filed by the public regarding disabled access citywide. ELECTRICAL INSPECTION DIVISION (EID) - 3RD Floor Chief Electrical Inspector Office Fax Provides public safety by enforcing municipal and State regulations and codes relative to construction, alteration, and installation of electrical equipment and systems. Electrical Inspectors Office Hours - 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m. and 3:15p.m. to 4:00p.m. HOUSING INSPECTION SERVICES (HIS) - 6TH Floor Chief Housing Inspector Office Fax Inspects buildings for code compliance in residential housing under building permits or as a result of complaints and inspects apartments and hotels. Housing Inspectors Office Hours - 8:00a.m. to 9:00a.m. and 4:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.

11 LEAD ABATEMENT SECTION (LAS) Mission St., 3rd Floor Supervisor Office Fax Responsible for environmental health and safety of DBI and applicable health and safety regulations and inspection of buildings for lead paint-exterior work practices. Provides a mentor/intern employment program for DBI. MAJOR PROJECTS/UMB S - 2ND Floor Manager Office Fax Reviews applications and plans for compliance with building, and disabled access regulations. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS) Mission St., 3RD Floor Acting Manager Office Fax Provides automated data capture, data management, and report dissemination throughout the Department. MECHANICAL PLAN CHECK (MECH) - 2ND Floor Manager Office Fax Screens, and reviews applications and plans for compliance with mechanical and energy codes. PERMIT COORDINATION (PCD) - 1ST Floor Acting Manager Office Fax Provides parallel review and screening for complex residential as well as commercial projects that require multi-departmental review. PERSONNEL PAYROLL DIVISION (PPD) Mission St., 3RD Floor Office Fax Provides support to the Department in the areas of personnel, payroll, and other related Human Resources activities. PLUMBING INSPECTION DIVISION (PID) - 3RD Floor Chief Plumbing Inspector Office Fax Provides public safety by enforcing municipal and State regulations and codes relative to construction, alteration, and installation of plumbing equipment and systems. Plumbing Inspectors Office Hours - 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m. and 3:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION (PSD) - 1ST Floor Manager Office Fax Serves as the first point of contract for the public, answers general questions; gives permit status and information. Management, processing, and updating of all microfilm services and residential records. RESIDENTIAL PLAN CHECK (RPC) - 2ND Floor Chief Building Inspector Office Fax Screens, reviews, and approves residential applications and plans for compliance with building, and disabled access regulations. TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION (TSD) Mission Street, 3RD Floor Chief Building Inspector Office Fax Provides technical support for the Department in the areas of code development and information, and earthquake/emergency program. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS Abatement Appeals Board (AAB) Jim Hutchinson, Dept. Representative Office Fax Access Appeals Commission (AAC) Rafael Torres-Gil, Dept. Rep Office Fax Board of Examiners (BOE) Wing Lau, Dept. Representative Office Fax Code Advisory Committee (BCAC) Alan Tokugawa, Dept. Rep Office Fax Unreinforced Masonry Buildings Appeals Board (UMB) Gary Ho, Dept. Representative Office Fax 7/20/2005

12 Department of Building Inspection 1660 Mission Street San Francisco, CA For general information please call Printed on recycled paper