City of Aurora Building Inspections 15151 E Alameda Pkwy Aurora, CO 80012 (303) 739-7420 THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR When a building permit has been issued for any construction within the City, the Supervisor listed on the permit becomes the link between the Building Inspection Division and the Owner/Contractor. How he handles the coordination of work and inspections will determine the workflow to a successful completion and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or release for use of the structure. General and specific requirements are listed below: A. GENERAL: The Construction Supervisor for the general contractor on a project has the overall responsibility for ensuring that all facets of the project conform to the applicable regulations and Code provisions of the City of Aurora. The overall responsibility includes the following: 1. Confining all trash and debris to the project site and retrieving any trash and/or debris attributed to the project from adjacent properties. 2. Keeping the public streets clean and free from dirt or mud tracked from the project. 3. Ensuring that before an inspection is requested that all requirements have been met. In this regard, flagrant abuse of the inspection process by using it to punch list or manage the job could lead to the suspension or revocation of the Supervisor s Certificate of Qualification. 4. Ensuring that Fire Department equipment access to the project over all-weather surfaced roads is maintained continuously, commencing with the first combustible construction on it. B. PERMITS: 1. General: Although the Construction Supervisor is not normally directly involved in obtaining permits for the project, he is responsible for ensuring that all required permits have been issued and validated before construction commences. He is also responsible for ensuring that all sub-contractors employed on the project have current City of Aurora Licenses enabling them to do the work for which they have sub-contracted.
Page 2 2. Separate Permits Required: a. The following required permits are issued by the Building Inspection Division: (1) Building (2) Mechanical (3) Electrical (4) Plumbing (5) Fire Protection (6) Swimming Pool (7) Underground Fuel Tank (8) Elevator b. The following required permits are issued by the Public Works Department and/or Planning Department, Zoning Division. (1) Grading (2) Retaining Wall (3) Water and Sewer Private Mains and Service Lines (4) All street related construction both Private and Public (5) Parking Lots (6) Fences (7) Signs 3. Special Prerequisites for Building Permit: The Construction Supervisor should be aware of the procedures governing the issuance of a building permit even though he normally does not participate in the extremely important phase of the overall project. No structure may be issued a building permit by the Building Inspection Division until the plans have been reviewed and approved by not only the Building Inspection Division but also by Zoning and Code Enforcement Division of the Neighborhood Services Department; traffic, Drainage engineering and Right-of-Way Divisions of the Public Works Department; Water and Waste Water Divisions of the Utilities Department; and Forestry Division of the Parks Department (for single family residences only). C. INSPECTION: When the permit has been issued, the main function of the Construction Supervisor begins. It is his task to ensure that the building is ready for inspection at the time the inspection is requested. Types of inspections with requirement follow:
Page 3 1. Preconstruction Inspection: Required when the site has already been developed with streets, sidewalk, curb and gutter. The Public Improvement Inspection Division of Public Works Department (303) 739-7350 will make this inspection to determine if there are any existing problems (such as cracked sidewalks, broken curbs, etc.) and will record them. The Builder will not be held responsible for these problems but will be responsible for the correction of any new ones caused during construction. 2. Footing, Post Tension Slab or Caisson: a. Post Tension Slab and Caisson Inspection: Special Inspection by Colorado Registered Professional Engineer required. An original stamp and signed inspection report must be furnished at the rough frame inspection before the damproofing inspection will be made. b. Footing Inspection: May be made by either the Building Inspector or by a Colorado Registered Professional Engineer. If done by a Professional Engineer, inspection report must be furnished before the foundation and Damproofing Inspection will be made. 3. Concrete Reinforcing: When Foundation wall or grade beam reinforcement is in place and ready for concrete pour, this inspection is accomplished in the same manner as those in item 2. 4. Foundation, Waterproofing and Survey. This inspection is done by the Building Inspector. All basements or areas below the backfill area must have all defects grouted and damproofed. Crawl spaces must have defects grouted and inspected prior to backfill. A signed copy of the survey is required to compare with the original plot plan. 5. Rough Plumbing: The ground plumbing, drain, waste, vent and water piping may be inspected individually, the responsibility for requesting this inspection lies with the Plumbing Contractor. 6. Gas Pipe: This inspection, which includes an air test, is requested by the installer before the concealed gas lines are covered. This inspection must be made before Excel Engergy company will install the meter. Also, in the case of concealed gas lines, the Rough Heating inspection cannot be made until the gas piping is inspected. 7. Rough Heating: When all duct work, flues, hot water lines and refrigeration lines are installed and before they are covered or concealed. The installing contractor requests the inspection. All electrical and plumbing are required to be installed prior to this inspection.
Page 4 8. Rough Electrical: When all outlet boxes (lights, single or duplex, switches, etc.) and the wire connections are installed. This inspection is requested by the Electrical Contractor. 9. Rough Frame: This is probably the most important inspection to the Construction Supervisor. Prior to requesting this inspection he should personally make a complete and detailed walk-through of the entire building (or portion of the building to be inspected) to ensure that all of the following items have been completed and that the building is in fact ready for inspection: a. The roof is on and the building is weathered-in (siding, exterior covering, etc. in place). b. Interior partitions or other framing, floor framing and flooring, stairs, windows, etc. are completed and interior ready to be covered. c. Completed repair of any modifications, made by other trades, which do not meet code (holes to close to the edge of studs, cuts or holes in sill place, excessive notching of joists or studs, etc.). d. Building as constructed agrees with approved plans. 10. Insulation Inspection: This inspection should be called following the completed rough frame inspection, when insulation product installation is complete. 11. Lath/Gypboard: There are times when this inspection may precede the rough frame inspection, i.e. party walls or single family-attached units where the double wall must have gypboard installed when put into position. Single family-detached residences as a general practice have no separate inspection. The inspection of the one-hour requirement for the attached garage may be inspected at the time of the final frame. Miscellaneous Inspections: Roofing Inspection: This inspection can be done at the frame rough. A tile roof must have a midroof inspection. Wall-tie Inspection: This inspection is required for masonry. Stucco Lath: Inspection required. 12. Final Plumbing, Heating and Electrical Inspections: These may be requested in any sequence by the subcontractor involved, however the appropriate meter must be installed before requesting a final inspection. Responsibility for the request rest with the applicable sub-contractor.
Page 5 13. Fire Protection Inspection: On single-family detached or attached residences this inspection is done by the framing inspector or at the time of final frame inspection. On apartments or condominiums, or shell or complete commercial building, and on commercial tenant finish/alterations this inspection is done by the Life Safety Inspector (Building Inspection Division). This inspection may be requested by the Fire Protection sub-contractor if the structure has a fire sprinkler or fire alarm system, but usually this inspection should be requested at the time of final frame inspection by the Construction Supervisor. Life safety inspections must be made for specific installations. (i.e. alarm, sprinkler, exit signs, hood, etc) prior to calling for the final life safety inspection. 14. Final Engineering (Public Improvements) and Grade: These inspections should be requested from the Public Improvements Division at the same time the final frame inspection is requested on all single family, multi family and commercial buildings. At this time the sidewalk, curb and gutter, streets or grading away from the buildings are inspected by the Public Improvement Inspector. An inspection for conformance with the City approved final drainage plan (if applicable) is also performed. Any problems noted on pre-construction inspection are not required to be corrected the owner/builder. Any new problems with Public Improvements or Grade become the responsibility of the construction supervisor to see that they are corrected by the proper sub-contractors. All reinspection requests must be made to the Public Improvements Division at, (303) 739-7420. 15. Final Frame: This inspection should be the last one requested but may be requested prior to the other final inspections i.e. Plumbing, Heating, Electrical. There are some items which do not have to be completed for final frame approval for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO), i.e. interior/exterior painting, shelving, carpeting, cabinets, and counter tops (except where a sink is involved). A final walk through by the construction Supervisor should preclude reinspections. 16. Zoning: This inspection is requested at the time of the final frame inspection, by the Construction supervisor. All landscaping, parking, exterior lighting and any other items shown on the PBC or PUB are inspected by the Zoning Inspector. All reinspection requests must be made to the Administration/Inspection control Section, (303) 739-7420.
Page 6 D. Certificate of Occupancy: The Certificate of Occupancy (CO), either temporary or final, must be issued prior to occupancy of any structure. Move-in of furniture or equipment may be authorized prior to issuance of a CO, but the Chief Building Official is the only person who may authorize this. No CO may be issued until the requirements of all inspection agencies involved (i.e. Building, Fire, Zoning or Public Improvements) are satisfied. Temporary CO s are authorized only when occupancy will not be detrimental to the safety, health or welfare of the occupants. Because of the processing time required to assemble all approvals and complete the paperwork, an interval of three (3) working days between completion of the last required inspection and the issuance of the CO should be anticipated. NOTE: Occupancy without the CO can be detrimental to the livelihood of the Construction Supervisor. If a Construction Supervisor allows occupancy for any reason without a CO, the Certificate of Qualification of the Construction supervisor and the contractor s license of his employer may be suspended or revoked. As noted throughout the above, the most important person in the construction process is: THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR.