Building Code Enforcement

The Plan Review section is responsible for ensuring that your project plans comply with all applicable building codes. It also coordinates the routing of plans to our partner agencies.

When do I need to submit plans for review?

All new construction projects and most renovations, repairs, or addition projects require plan approval before you may purchase a permit. Failure to submit plans for review, if required, could cause costly delays and may result in possible municipal court citations.

For more information on how to submit your plans for review, please call 832.394.8810 or click on one of the following links:

• Residential Plan Review
• Commercial Plan Review
• Most Common Plan Review Comments

Who reviews the plans?

Plans are reviewed by professionals who are specifically trained and certified to review plans based on the four building trades:

• Structural
• Mechanical
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Storm

To speak with a plan examiner, call 832.394.8810.

Schedule an appointment 

Appointments may be scheduled online with the Building Code Enforcement's Plan Review section for the discussion of plan review project comments only. The design professional responsible for the respective plans must attend the scheduled appointment. Otherwise the appointment is subject to cancellation.

A phone number and email address are required to use the online scheduler.

All other Plan Review services will continue to be offered as walk-up services on a first-come-first-served basis.

To schedule an appointment, visit the Appointment Scheduler Homepage. Appointments are for the discussion of plan comments only.

For additional information, refer to the Appointment Scheduler & Check-In Guide.

"All construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the building official and all such construction or work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved by the building official"

The Inspections section is broken down into the following disciplines:

• Structural Inspections
• Mechanical/HVAC Inspections
• Electrical Inspections
• Plumbing Inspections
• Multi-family Habitability and Investigations
• Sign Administration
• Occupancy Inspections

Special Inspections

In addition to inspections required by the City of Houston Building Code, the owner, the engineer, or architect of record acting as the owner's agent shall employ one or more special inspectors who shall provide inspections during construction.

Special inspections can be made by the engineer or architect of record or an approved agency that is registered with the City of Houston to perform special inspections.

Items that require special inspections include (but are not limited to):

• Concrete (including post tension cables)
• Ductile moment-resisting concrete frame
• Reinforcing steel and pre-stressing steel
• Welding
• High strength bolting
• Structural masonry
• Reinforced gypsum concrete
• Insulating concrete fill
• Spray-applied fire proofing
• Piling, drilled piers and caissons
• Special grading, excavation and filling

Duties of the Special Inspector

The special inspector shall observe the work to ascertain to the best of his knowledge and belief that it conforms to the design drawings and specifications.

The special inspector shall furnish inspection reports to the building official, the engineer or architect of record, and other designated persons. All discrepancies shall be brought to the immediate attention of the contractor for correction, then to the design professional and the building official.

The special inspector shall submit a final signed report properly certified by an engineer or architect with a professional's seal embossed, stating whether the work requiring special inspection was, to the best of his knowledge, in conformance with the design professional's permitted construction plans and specifications and the applicable workmanship provision of this code.

Note: A special inspection shall be performed on any job site welding or high-strength bolting prior to a framing inspection. A special inspection shall also be performed on post-tension cables and submitted to building official prior to final inspection.

Approved Fabricators

An approved fabricator is a company certified by a third party agency and approved by the City of Houston to produce or fabricate primary structural components for buildings.

Structural components to be fabricated by an approved fabricator include (but are not limited to):

• Structural steel (including stairs)
• Pre-engineered metal buildings
• Pre-cast concrete
• Steel joist (bar joist)
• Structural sandwich panels for coolers and freezers
• Fabricated structural lumber products (trusses, beams, and columns)
• The fabricator's name or number must be permanently marked on each structural member. Tags shall be used on steel joists for fabricator identification.

For information about becoming an approved fabricator, refer to the Approved Fabricator Guidelines.

Contact

For more information about special inspections and approved fabricators, please contact Code Development at [email protected].