Delays during construction will happen. Make sure the delay isn’t caused by your team.

There will always be some workers who are new or just slower than others which can cause the project to fall behind, but worse than that are the self-inflicted delays that can happen from not being familiar with the local town or city ordinances related to inspection procedures.

The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) over the project (the local city inspection department) will expect specific things to be completed before each inspection is scheduled by the permit holder. Below are a few examples:

• Underground electrical inspection. Trench at proper burial depth, trench left open and not covered, conduit or cables (suitable for wet location and direct burial) in place, acceptable backfill material present with no large rocks.
• Concrete encased electrode (UFER) inspection. Grounding electrode installed, footing where the concrete encased electrode is installed to be open and no concrete poured, listed ground clamps installed and suitable for direct burial.
• Rough wall inspection. All electrical conduits, cables, boxes installed and properly supported, wall left open on at least one side, no insulation installed that would hinder the inspector from seeing all wiring methods installed.
• Above ceiling inspection. All electrical conduits, cables, boxes installed, all disconnect switches for above ceiling HVAC or other equipment installed, all wires pulled and terminated in each enclosure, boxes and enclosures closed. During the inspection, the inspector may ask for a few select boxes to be opened to verify box fill, grounding, or conductor identification.
• Temporary power. Temporary power application filled out if required, service equipment installed, all service conductors and feeders pulled into the service equipment and terminated at each end, all grounding terminations made, utility company approval on the service equipment, any installed GFPE service disconnects or feeder overcurrent devices rated 1000 amps or larger on 480/277V WYE systems to be third party tested and paperwork present showing an approved test result, downstream panelboards and equipment fed from the service to be installed with feeders terminated, at least one downstream panelboard 100% complete and ready to energize including all branch circuits and the equipment they supply installed and all wires terminated at each end, lockout devices present for any service overcurrent devices that supply downstream equipment that is installed with feeders terminated at each end but not yet ready to be energized.

Be sure to visit the city inspection department website or ask the inspector if they have any resources on what must be ready before each inspection is scheduled.