The City of Redding is helping contractors and homeowners save time and money by utilizing “virtual” building inspections for many types of residential building permits.
The new service allows those needing a follow-up inspection to email a photo to the building inspector or conduct an inspection via Skype or FaceTime instead of scheduling an in-person inspection. These virtual inspections will benefit both the contractor and the City.
“Oftentimes a contractor will have minor corrections to make prior to receiving a final sign-off. A virtual inspection will allow them to make the correction immediately and not have to wait for an in-person inspection that can take 24 hours to conduct,” said Jim Wright, Interim Building Official for the City of Redding. “We want to be more responsive to the needs of our clients and help them get their job done in a timely fashion. Technology allows us to provide faster service without sacrificing quality and public safety.”
The first client to take advantage of the new virtual inspection was Mike MacFarland, owner of Energy Docs. Mr. MacFarland needed an inspection showing the grounding screw had been attached for a new electric panel that he had installed in a residential home. He simply took a picture of the panel showing that the grounding screw had been attached and emailed the picture to the Building Division.
Mr. MacFarland stated, “I am pleased to see the City of Redding use technology in this manner. These virtual inspections will not only save my business time and resources, but they will allow me to provide better service to my clients who live in the city.”
The launch of virtual inspections follows other technology-related improvements like online permit applications and online tracking of plan reviews. According to Erich Mayne, Permit Center Supervisor, the virtual inspections and online permitting save the City and applicants wear and tear on vehicles, lower fuel costs, and help the environment by reducing emissions. As the virtual inspection process for residential permits is fine-tuned, the City will look for other ways in which a virtual inspection may be appropriate and expand the use of them accordingly.
