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The Building Code Forum Recommended Tools for Inspectors

For Accessibility inspections I use a digial 24" level on top of a 48" level.

24" Digital Level (click here)

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jar546 said:
Still my all-time favorite tape measure. I love the magnetic tip, especially with so much metal framing in my area.

25' Magnetic Tip Tape Measure (click here)


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I used the magnetic tip on my Fatmax to fish my work truck key out of a 5' deep storm sewer... true story. I always get the magnetic tip. Also very useful when you are up on a ladder or scaffold and drop a screw that you need. We use it to transfer hand tools up a 20' Perry scaffold sometimes, way faster than climbing up to hand someone their pliers, they just drop their magnetic tip down to you. I have also used it to snag a metal fish tape in a wall cavity through a drilled hole in the top plate. Well worth having to scrape the metal shavings that collect there off every once in a while.
 
3/8" x 48" dowel rod for testing smoke detectors, exit signs and emergency lighting.

If you happen to leave it behind, your not out that much $$.
 
Jar,
You should always have a 36-48" piece of ROMEX, incase your belt breaks and they see your thong underwear!

Eww!
 
jar546 said:
For Accessibility inspections I use a digital 24" level on top of a 48" level.

24" Digital Level (click here)
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The court appointed "Neutral Accessibility Consultant" (NAC) for City of Los Angeles tested a bunch of different digital levels and found that their accuracy varied by as much as 0.3%. This led them to state that when they field measure slopes, if the level reads 2.3% or less they consider it 'level', if it reads 5.3% or less they consider it 'not a ramp' and if it reads 8.6% or less they will consider it a slope-compliant ramp. Obviously, they do not allow architects to design to those numbers - - this only relates to field measurement once it is built.
Out of all the levels they tested, they found the Stabila brand to be the most consistently accurate (though it too is not perfect). They aren't cheap, about $300 online.
The NAC relies on the DOJ's "Best Practices Toolkit" which states that a 24" level is best for checking slope compliance:

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Please note that the NAC's opinions are legally binding (and thus a type of "safe harbor") ONLY within LA city limits. However, outside of city limits, they can be considered a legal precedent from another jurisdiction, to help bolster a civil case outside of LA - - just another piece of information for the court to consider.
 
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jar546 said:
These are products that I have personally used. These are Amazon affiliate links.
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I’d suggest you create a playlist on the TBCF YouTube channel with brief product reviews of the things you have used. So, you take that flashlight and show people why you love it in addition to the affiliate link. Having these links on this forum sells to people who have come here for code-related information, there are a lot of people who use YouTube for product videos and most of those people would not think to look here for product reviews.

I was watching a video recently by The Engineering Mindset and in the video description they had their list of “Tools You Need,” you might add such a list to each product review video.


You could also have some fun and in addition to the regular reviews you could do torture testing videos such as “What Not to Do With a Cool Flashlight” where you drop it off your motorcycle when driving across a parking lot, drop it from the third floor of a building, shoot it across a parking lot with a water ballon slingshot, sink it in a 5-gallon bucket of water for a week, boil it in water for five minutes while you’re making pizza, et cetera.
 
I've had these pliers in my pocket for twenty years. Handy for all sorts of tasks from that errant nose hair to getting a credit card out of a sticky ATM.

Has anyone mentioned a pocket knife? Men quit carrying a pocket knife.



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A door installer gave me a tool just made to check the weight of doors with door closers. I don't know where you can get one but it's pretty cool, you just push the door open with it. Was using a fish scale before.
I also like this Kobalt elec. and GFI tester and contactless voltage tester.
 

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Mr. Inspector said:
A door installer gave me a tool just made to check the weight of doors with door closers. I don't know where you can get one but it's pretty cool, you just push the door open with it. Was using a fish scale before.
I also like this Kobalt elec. and GFI tester and contactless voltage tester.
Click to expand...
I saw one (similar) the other day at Home Depot. I was really surprised.
 
Mr. Inspector said:
A door installer gave me a tool just made to check the weight of doors with door closers. I don't know where you can get one but it's pretty cool, you just push the door open with it. Was using a fish scale before.
I also like this Kobalt elec. and GFI tester and contactless voltage tester.
Click to expand...

tmurray said:
I saw one (similar) the other day at Home Depot. I was really surprised.
Click to expand...

Huh. Now I want one.
 
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