When a building inspector visits a construction project, every contractor’s hope is that the job will easily pass muster. Failure can cause delays to the project timeline while work to correct the deficiency is completed and a new inspection scheduled. In addition, in some jurisdictions, a re-inspection could come with a fee.

A new report from the International Code Council ranks the top commercial building code violations in a variety of construction trades. The 2019 Common Code Noncompliance Survey Report also details the reasons behind the violations. Here are the top five causes for issues, according to inspectors:

• Workers that don't follow the manufacturer’s instructions. This would include, for example, using the wrong kind of fasteners during a window installation.
• A contractor’s lack of code knowledge. This could be that the company has never done work in the jurisdiction before or that rules have changed since the last job. Nevertheless, it’s smart for contractors to bone up on local regulations before starting work.
• Cost-cutting, such as using substandard building materials that don’t meet local requirements.
• A lack of coordination between trades resulting in one trade covering up another’s work or not providing enough access for a subcontractor to perform critical work. 
• Damage to a trade’s work. This could occur if another trade penetrated existing firestopping while installing telephone or cable television wiring.
• Inadequate manufacturer’s instructions.

As for code violations, the inspectors responded that the most common breaches fell under several major categories of work.

To view the specific violations, click on each subcategory below: