ICC Recommended Practices for Remote Virtual Inspections (RVI)
ICC hosted the webinar that I mentioned. The purpose was to demonstrate the RVI software that is sold by Inspected.Com which is a Florida based company. There are a few such companies with slick software. The programs will schedule inspections, record pictures and video and keep track of the results. You can even take over the phone that is being used to show the work....you can zoom in and turn on the flashlight. Geotagging is built in so you can verify the location.
What the programs can't do is control the conditions on the other end.....can't teach the English language....or how to follow simple commands....can't ensure a decent wifi connection or a compatible phone....can't tech someone the basics of Skype, Zoom, Google Duo, FaceTime, etc....can't be sure that everything that should be seen was seen....can't .. can't .. can't....there's lots of downside and probably the biggest can't is that you are forced to have a level of trust in the result that just isn't realistic.
During the webinar a RVI inspection was performed. The inspection was a UFER connection to a rebar. They showed the clamp and since the wire was 1/0 they also showed the marking on the insulation. They did not show the length of the bar. That was it....just the UFER connetion. They mentioed that it would take ten times longer to get there than it did to perform the inspection. Then the contractor pointed out that the footing and slab inspection would be inspected in-person as it too complicated for RVI. Now I don't know about you, but I would expect to look at the UFER when I was inspecting the footing.....but hey now, they needed an example RVI and it was that.
There are quite a few YouTube videos showing jurisdictions hosting RVIs. All are staged like Pawn Stars. I think that they don't know what they don't know.
One from my experience:
The RVI was for the drywall of a new SFD. I had not done any inspections there before the drywall. The job card was signed with approvals for framing and rough meps. There was three bedrooms and four closets. I missed an electric panel located in a bedroom closet. Not only was it in a closet, but there was two feet clearance in front of the panel. The violation was caught at the final inspection by another inspector during an in-person inspection. That inspector had not done any inspections at that property prior to the final inspection.
I can't say for sure why I missed the panel. The signed job card is no excuse because I always pay attention for such things as this. Perhaps I saw enough drywall to be complacent about the rest of it or could it be that the contractor hid the fact, which I doubt. Needless to say, the owner was upset and blamed the inspectors, including me.