When does each inspection happen?
At the stage just before the work would be covered up. These are the City's stages that apply to most houses, additions and ADUs, with the City's own timing (City of Hamilton, Building Inspections, read November 5, 2026):
| Inspection | Book it |
|---|---|
| Pre-construction on-site meeting | Before construction starts |
| Footings | Before the footings are poured |
| Backfill | Before the foundation excavation is backfilled |
| Sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water service | Before each line is backfilled |
| Building drains | Before the radon barrier goes in |
| Radon | Before the basement slab is poured |
| Underslab insulation | Before the slab is poured |
| Plumbing rough-in | When the supply, drain and vent piping above ground is in |
| HVAC rough-in | When the ductwork is in |
| Structural | When framing is done, before insulation; the plumbing, HVAC and electrical rough-ins come first |
| Air barrier | Before the above-grade insulation |
| Insulation and vapour barrier | Before drywall |
| Fire separations | When each side is taped and mudded |
| Fire protection systems | When smoke and CO alarms and other life safety parts are in |
| Occupancy | At substantial completion, before anyone moves in |
| Grading | When final grading is done to the approved plan |
| Final | When all the permitted work is complete |
Before the footings there is one step that is not the City's: buried lines have to be marked, as locates before you dig explains. Not every job gets every stage: a deck has no plumbing rough-in. The pre-construction meeting is where the inspector goes through required inspections for the scope of work
.
What happens if a stage is missed?
The City may ask for the work to be opened up. In its words, Failure to get an inspection at the proper stages may require you to uncover work that was completed.
(City of Hamilton, Building Inspections, read November 5, 2026) Grading, where it applies, has to be done before the final inspection, and on infill houses the City asks for a final grading certificate from the consultant at the grading inspection.
Which inspections are new for a new home?
Radon and occupancy. Hamilton requires soil gas protection under the slab of every new low-rise home and residential addition, inspected before the slab is poured; radon protection in new homes covers the two options. And a new house needs an occupancy inspection before anyone lives in it; the City says the request must be accompanied by the appropriate Occupancy Application Form
.
Who books them?
Whoever the permit and the contract say. Requests go through the City's online portal or by phone, with the permit number, the address and the type of inspection. Electrical inspections are separate: they are booked with the Electrical Safety Authority, explained in who files the electrical permit. On a JDT Construction Inc. job, inspection stages are written into the schedule on the project page so you can see what is next. How the permit itself is applied for is in who applies for a building permit.