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Framing Inspection Protocol — What Inspectors Actually Check

Updated Mar 25, 2026
Inspector verifies: correct lumber grades, nailing schedule per plans, holdown/strap installation, fire blocking, shear wall nailing, header sizes, bearing points, bracing. Most common fails: missing holdowns, wrong nailing.

The framing inspection is one of the most critical and most commonly failed inspections in residential construction. What inspectors check: (1) Grade stamps visible on all structural lumber, (2) Stud spacing matches plans (16 or 24 OC), (3) Nailing schedule per shear wall schedule and structural plans — inspectors count nails and check spacing, (4) Holdown bolts and straps installed per structural engineer drawings — THIS IS THE #1 FAIL ITEM, (5) Fire blocking installed at all floor/ceiling intersections, stair stringers, soffits, and concealed spaces per IBC 718, (6) Headers properly sized per span tables or engineering, (7) Proper bearing at load transfer points, (8) Let-in bracing or structural sheathing per bracing requirements, (9) Notching and boring of studs within code limits (max 25% for bearing, 40% for non-bearing per IBC 2308.9.10), (10) Proper connection of top plate to rafters/trusses. Common fail reasons: missing holdowns (50% of failures), incorrect nailing pattern on shear walls, fire blocking gaps, unauthorized field modifications. Tip: have approved plans and structural drawings on site. Allow 3-5 business days for scheduling.

TAGS
inspectionframinghold-pointholdownnailingfire-blockingfail-reasons
DETAILS
inspection type
framing
reinspection fee
$100-$200
scheduling process
3-5 business day lead time typical
common fail reasons
["Missing holdown bolts","Incorrect nailing schedule","Fire blocking not installed","Unauthorized field modifications"]
code sections checked
["IBC 2304","IBC 2308","IBC 718","IRC R602"]
what inspectors look for
["Grade stamps","Nailing schedule","Holdowns and straps","Fire blocking","Shear wall nailing","Header sizes","Bearing points"]
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