GARDEN GROVE BUILDING AND SAFETY VIRTUAL LIVE INSPECTION

**The program and procedures are subject to change as required**

The City of Garden Grove Building and Safety Division is offering a new method of performing Building Inspections called Virtual Live Inspections Virtual inspections use Google Duo on your phone or tablet for various inspections to maintain progress on jobsites still occurring during the Covid-19 crisis. This program may change as the environment changes.

To offer inspection services while maintaining the required 6’ social distancing we offer virtual live inspections. The contractor or homeowner responsible for work needs to be able to show all work performed. This may include climbing ladders, crawling, opening panels and moving conductors as necessary, walking on uneven surfaces, using tape measures and other required tools. Using interactive technology a building inspector will participate in a live session with the contractor or homeowner to perform the inspections remotely. Our goal is to allow construction to progress while maintaining a safe environment for all involved through social separation. This program uses the same two hour window of time indicated on Permitsoft the morning of the inspection (M–Th. 8:30AM–4:00PM) and 8:30 AM-3:00PM alternating Fridays.

VIRTUAL LIVE INSPECTIONS

Other inspections may be added with prior Inspector approval.

• Air Conditioning / Heating (Virtual)
• Brown Coat (Virtual)
• Building Demo / Sewer Cap (Virtual)
• Building Final (Virtual)
• Drywall (Virtual)
• Electrical Final (Virtual)
• Electrical Services (Virtual)
• Ext. Lath (Virtual)
• Final-Demo (Virtual)
• Final (Home Repair Program) (Virtual)
• Final (Senior Grant Program) (Virtual)
• Foundation/Footing (Virtual)
• Foundation (Virtual)
• Framing (Virtual)
• Gas Test (Virtual)
• Initial (Home Repair Program) (Virtual)
• Initial (Senior Grant Program) (Virtual)
• Insulation (Virtual)
• Masonry / Grout Final (Virtual)
• Mechanical Final (Virtual)
• Plumbing Final (Virtual)
• Plumb Soil Groundwork (Virtual)
• Pool Bottom and Bond Beam (Virtual)
• Pool Demo (Virtual)
• Pool Final (Virtual)
• Pre-deck /Bonding (Virtual)
• Pre-Grout (Virtual)
• Pre-inspection/Sheathing (Virtual)
• Pre-Plaster/ Fence & Gates (Virtual)
• Reroof Final (Virtual)
• Roof Sheathing (Virtual)
• Rough Mechanical (Virtual)
• Rough Plumbing (Virtual)
• Rough Wiring (Virtual)
• Sewer (Virtual)
• Shear Walls / Pre-Wrap (Virtual)
• Shower lath/ Tile Backer (Virtual)
• Shower Pan / Test (Virtual)
• Solar Panel/ Photovoltaic System (Virtual)
• Subfloor Frame (Virtual)
• Subfloor Insulation (Virtual)
• Temp Power Pole (Virtual)
• Temp Power Pole (Virtual)
• Track & Ledger (Virtual)
• UFER Ground (Virtual)
• Underground Conduit (Virtual)
• Underground Gas Piping (Virtual)
• Underground Gas Piping (Virtual)
• Water Heater Final (Virtual)
• Water Heater (Virtual)
• Water Main / Lateral (Virtual)
• Water Main / Lateral (Virtual)
• Windows (Virtual)

Schedule a Virtual Live Inspection on-line from this page, enter the permit number on the search above.  Indicate in the notes section when requesting a virtual inspection.

To participate in a virtual interactive inspection you need the following:

• Reliable internet connection
• Fully charged iPad, iPhone, Tablet or Android device with webcam capability
• The free Google Duo application https://duo.google.com/about/ with an account setup. Register your cellphone number – the inspector call or message this number.

On the scheduled date and time window of the virtual inspection, your inspector will call the Google Duo account. The inspector will walk you through the inspection process, identifying if any items require correction. At the conclusion of the inspection the inspector will inform you if you passed the inspection or what the next step is, as applicable. If a correction notice is required, the inspector will send you an e-mail with a list of any items that need to be addressed. Once the repairs are completed you may request a re-inspection.

VIRTUAL LIVE INSPECTION PREPARATION

1. Prior to start of inspection have all necessary tools available (such as a tape measure, screwdriver, level, GFCI tester, ladder, etc…) necessary to perform the inspection.
2. Make sure your device is fully charged, with notifications turned off that may interrupt the inspection.
3. Be ready to receive and respond to a video call from the City inspector at the scheduled day and time. Having ear buds with a microphone greatly improves communication.
4. Ensuring no unnecessary sounds are present (power tools, radio, etc…) helps improve communication clarity as well.
5. When plans reviewed by the City are involved in the project, these City approved plans will be required for all virtual live inspections.  

VIRTUAL LIVE INSPECTION PROCESS

1. Each inspection will begin at the street view to verify the location by showing the structure and property address.
2. To ensure consistency please start the inspection from the front entry, walking the inspection in a clockwise direction horizontally on each floor, starting at the bottom floor if there are multiple levels, while following the direction of the inspector.
3. The inspector will inform you if any corrections were found during the inspection and provide a correction notice (if necessary) to you by e-mail or, if there were no corrections identified, a written approval by e-mail to let you know you passed the inspection.
4. Once the inspection is completed and the call ends the inspector will enter the results into our permitting system. Which you may immediately view on-line.

USING VIRTUAL LIVE INSPECTIONS

** This option is not currently available for all types of inspections, and may not work for the types of inspections currently offered, based on the installation location, lighting, camera quality, etc…we will make every effort to provide an explanation should this not be a successful attempt.