In early 2021, the City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center embarked on a new initiative by launching a residential combination inspection program. Previously, when a new home was constructed in Des Moines, an inspection was required from each individual construction trade inspector. This sometimes resulted in four different inspectors at the same location on the same day to inspect the building structure, the electrical systems, the mechanical systems, and the plumbing.
In April 2022, the Permit and Development Center began a pilot program with a small group of residential contractors to test out combination inspections. The program assigns one inspector to each new home and that inspector is responsible for all of the trade inspections, much like neighboring communities that perform residential inspections.
“We’re rethinking how we approach residential inspections in order to reduce costs and improve efficiency without compromising our high standards for work,” said Cody Christensen, Permit & Development Administrator. “This consolidated approach should simplify the experience for developers and allow projects to be completed more quickly.”
This new program required extensive training and additional inspection certifications for the 14 inspectors that are part of the program. These 14 inspectors and four senior inspectors have been training and collaborating on the inspection requirements for all aspects of residential building construction.
Starting today, this service will be utilized for all single-family home construction projects within the City of Des Moines. Builders can schedule directly with their inspector for all residential building inspections. Inspector contact information is available on the Permit and Development Center website at DSM.city/PDC.
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