- All inspections can be scheduled online. See 'Schedule Inspection' below.
- Inspections can be scheduled for the morning or afternoon (after 12:00 pm). Staff will make every effort to accommodate your preference, however due to the high volume of inspection requests; we cannot book inspections for a specific time.
- To book your inspection online, you need your eight digit permit number
(last two digits of the year, followed by the six digit permit number, e.g. 20123456). - You can cancel and reschedule an inspection online. Please give us 24 hours notice for a cancellation.
(Note that inspections cannot be cancelled online on the same day they are scheduled.) - You can leave a message for the inspector online. Messages and notes left for the building inspector during the online booking will be reviewed during the inspection.
- Inspection results are available online, the next business day, after your inspection.
- Inspectors are available to answer questions over the phone or at City Hall Monday to Friday, between 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm.
- To avoid delays, all your documentation must be available during the inspection. Please have all permits on site including the plans, site surveys and engineers’ field reviews, stamped “ACCEPTED” by the City of Abbotsford.
- Please note that inspectors do not call before they attend an inspection.
Documentation Meetings
To ensure that all documents are submitted and completed correctly, a documentation meeting is required for projects using a Coordinating Registered Professional (CRP). The meeting is conducted at City Hall, prior to the Final Inspection. This ensures the project is completed in an efficient manner, and allows staff to address any potential issues that may impact the timeline.
Heating Requirements
Prior to the installation of any heating system in a single family dwelling, two family dwellings or townhouses, or in multifamily units that have individual, self-contained heating systems for each dwelling unit, the applicable TECA forms must be submitted to the City.
Forced air heating systems must be designed to either the latest edition of “Quality First Forced Air Guidelines”, or relative standards recognized by the Building Official or under the design supervision of a professional engineer.
The following documentation is required prior to a framing inspection for the Building Official:
- Appliance Selection Worksheet with manufacturer’s furnace specification and blower performance data
- Heat Loss Summary Sheet/Heat Load Worksheet
- Supply Air Duct Summary
- Return Air Duct Summary
- If “Quality First Forced Air Guidelines” are used, then the contractor/installer QFC Certification number
Hydronic Systems must be designed to either the latest edition of “Guidelines for the Design and Installation of Hot Water Heating Systems”, or other relative standards recognized by the Building Official and under the design supervision of a professional engineer.
The following documentation is required prior to a request for a hot water heating inspection for the Building Official:
- Appliance Selection Worksheet
- Heat Loss Summary Sheet
- Hydronic Radiant Floor Panel Worksheet
- Boiler Room Layout (from Hydronic Manual)
- Schedule B for hydronic system
In addition to the “Load Side System” — either forced air or hydronic as detailed above — the following documentation is required prior to the frame inspection for the Building Official:
- A schematic diagram showing the geoexchange system including the heat pump and any back up system required to compensate for the shortfall of the geoexchange system.
- Schedule B for the geoexchange system.
- A written declaration that states the heating capacity of the geoexchange system, that confirms the geoexchange engineer has reviewed the heat loss calculation by a heating contractor for the forced-air or hydronic heating system, and that the geoexchange system is capable of supplying the required heat for the dwelling with or without a backup system.
Combo systems must be designed to the latest relative guideline or other standards recognized by the Building Official or under the design supervision of a professional engineer.
The following documentation will be required prior to the framing inspection for the Building Official:
- Combo System Appliance Selection Worksheet
- Heat Loss Summary Sheet/Heat Load Worksheet
- Supply Air Duct Summary
- Return Air Duct Summary
All installations must provide a City of Abbotsford Certification Form for Certification of Design of Heating System and Certification of Installation of Heating System.