Construction Inspection Services

Special Inspection

The California Building Code defines Special Inspection as the inspection of construction requiring the expertise of an approved special inspector in order to ensure compliance with this code and the approved construction documents. Christian Wheeler Engineering maintains a staff of certified inspectors and has over two decades of experience in providing special inspection services in accordance with the California Building Code, Unified Facilities Criteria, Department of the State Architect (DSA), or the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI).

Concrete

Reinforced concrete, post-tension concrete, and reinforced shotcrete construction include the inspection of pre-placement, placement, and post-placement construction per the requirement set forth by the project and the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). Continuous inspection will be provided during concrete placement to verify compliance with the specified mix properties and proper application techniques. Samples of the concrete will be taken during placement for specified field testing (i.e. slump, temperature, unit weight, air content) and to fabricate specimens for laboratory testing to determine compliance with the approved construction documents.

Steel

Structural steel construction will include inspection of erected steel, field welding (shop welding if the facility is not approved by the AHJ), high-strength bolting, and any required non-destructive testing such as ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and dye penetrant testing.

Masonry

Masonry construction will include inspection of masonry units, reinforcement, and other embedded components. Continuous inspection will be provided during the grout placement to verify compliance with the specified mix properties and proper application techniques. Samples of the grout, block, and mortar will be taken as required for laboratory testing to determine compliance with the approved construction documents.

Wood/Light-Gauge Metal Framing

Wood and light-gauge metal framed shear wall construction will include inspection of shear walls and horizontal diaphragms with specified edge nail or fastener spacing of 4” or less. This inspection includes visual verification of the component’s anchorage, sheathing, nailing (or screws), and structural transfer.

Soil

Observation of fill soil placement is provided during the earthwork operations to verify that the methods used are consistent with accepted construction practices. Field and laboratory tests are performed on samples of the soil that are representative of the overall work in order to verify that the conditions and materials comply with the approved construction documents.

Other Inspection Services

In addition to the Construction Inspection items discussed above, Christian Wheeler Engineering can also provide inspection of other items as listed below.