New drywall looks like progress. Taking it back down so someone can inspect the work behind it feels rather less satisfying. Before construction, put the inspection stages beside the trade schedule: what needs to remain visible, who books the visit and what must pass before the next crew starts. That short conversation can save a very avoidable round of patching.
Follow the permit, not a generic checklist
Ontario municipalities enforce the Building Code, and the required inspection stages depend on the permit. Toronto's building inspection service and homeowner permit guide show the common pattern, but your issued permit and approved drawings are the project-specific instructions.
- Footings or foundations before concrete is hidden or backfill closes access.
- Structural framing after the load path and connections are built, but before insulation and finishes.
- Plumbing and HVAC rough-ins while pipes, drains, vents, ducts, and fire stopping can still be seen.
- Insulation and vapour-barrier details before covering; fire-separation layers and penetrations at the stages specified for the assembly.
- Final inspection when the permitted work is complete and safe to use.
Who books and who attends?
Put responsibility in the contract. The permit holder or contractor usually books municipal inspections, while licensed trades manage their own regulated work. A building inspector does not replace the ESA process for electrical work or the qualified gas contractor's responsibilities. The permit, ESA, and TSSA guide keeps those lanes straight.
If something does not pass
Read the written deficiency, compare it with the approved documents, correct the work, and arrange the required reinspection. If site conditions forced a design change, get the responsible designer's written revision instead of improvising. Our guide to renovation-plan professionals explains when that means a BCIN designer, architect, or engineer.
Close the file properly
Keep the issued permit, approved drawings, inspection results, revisions, ESA Certificate of Acceptance when applicable, gas and appliance records, invoices, warranties, and photographs of concealed work. For basement projects, use the basement permit guide to identify the inspection path before framing begins. These records are useful for a sale, insurance question, or future renovation.
Put inspection hold points on the trade schedule
| Stage | Who coordinates | Keep visible | Record to retain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation or footing work | Named permit contact and concrete crew | Required excavation/reinforcement stages | Inspection result and any engineering review |
| Framing and rough-ins | Contractor with relevant trades | Connections, pipes, ducts and specified fire details | Results and accepted revisions |
| Insulation and enclosure | Contractor and inspector | Air/vapour details and required layers | Acceptance before covering |
| Electrical | Responsible electrical contractor or notifier | Stages required by ESA | Applicable electrical acceptance record |
| Completion | Permit holder and contractor | Completed work and access | Final status plus unresolved items |
Add the booking lead time and person who will meet the inspector to the site schedule. A trade should know who can release the next stage after the result arrives. If an inspection finds a deficiency, keep its written wording with the correction and reinspection record; a photo of the repair is useful but does not replace a required return visit.
Build a handover folder you can actually use
| Folder | Collect and verify |
|---|---|
| Approvals | Issued permit, approved drawings, revisions, inspection status and required professional reports |
| Electrical and other regulated work | Applicable ESA acceptance and trade/appliance records, identified separately |
| Products | Exact model and serial numbers, supplier, manuals and replacement-part details |
| Finishes | Paint colour and sheen, tile batch, flooring code and labelled spare materials |
| Concealed work | Dated room/wall photographs with measurements from permanent references |
| Controls and shutoffs | Locations, labels, access-panel demonstration and normal operation |
| Warranties and care | Terms, dates, contacts, maintenance and any fresh-finish restrictions |
| Outstanding items | Specific task, responsible person, agreed next step and completion record |
ESA tells homeowners to obtain the Certificate of Acceptance from their Licensed Electrical Contractor when applicable. It does not replace the municipal permit record. Keep copies of each approval in a folder you control rather than relying on links in someone else's account.
Do the walkthrough with the folder open. Find one model label, open one manual, locate one concealed-service photograph and demonstrate an access panel. Try the ordinary controls and identify relevant shutoffs without dismantling finished work. Record missing information while the responsible people are present.
For phased work, label the boundary between completed and future scope and the location of secured provisions. Store renovation surplus materials with their product records. The final invoice is one document in this folder, not the folder's substitute.