SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Residential Plan Review
• Scheduling Inspections
• Sequential Listing of Inspection Types

RESIDENTIAL PLAN OVERVIEW: Orangeburg County Plan Submittal Guidelines

All residential plans including additions and attached garages shall be designed to the current edition of the International Residential Code.

Plans are to be drawn in a clear and concise manner to engineers scale. If you are unable to provide this you will have to have your plans drawn by a draftsman or engineer. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

Plan design will have to include seismic requirements for the given area as well as wind load.

Plans will be reviewed by the Building Inspection Department prior to submittal to determine if they meet the above criteria.

The following is a guideline for submittal of plans for review. This is only to be used as a guide. Actual location of property may require additional requirements.

• 2-copies each of site plans and building plans are required. Site plans shall show location of proposed construction to all property lines giving dimensions from exterior wall of proposed construction to each property line.
• 2-copies of the following:
• Foundation detail page-designed for the seismic and wind load for the area that your property resides in.
• Foundation requirements:
• Depth and width of foundation
• Rebar requirements
• Bond beams and rebar requirements
• Type of hold-down strapping and placement
• Pier placement sizing, and foundation requirements

• Stem wall construction
• Height and width
• Reinforcement (including vertical, horizontal, and embedment)
• Hold-down requirements
• Crawl space ventilation location
• Bond beam requirements
• Floor system
• Type of materials: wood, concrete, or steel
• Anchoring of floor system to the foundation for uplift, as well as lateral movement
• Specific sizes, brands and fastening requirements of anchoring system
• Spacing, spans and sizes of framing members
• Size and type and location of beams, girders
• Window schedule denoting size and location
• Floor plan
• Shows all rooms with dimensions
• Egress doors and sizes
• Window location
• Elevation drawings denoting north, south, west, and east elevations of home
• Walls
• If masonry or concrete, location of reinforcement, bond beams, and lintels
• Type of material
• Height of wall
• Gable end wall detail depicting bracing
• Wall sheathing and siding materials
• Hold-down requirements, placement, length, type and brand
• If two-story construction, type of floor-to-floor uplift connections
• Roof/ceiling
 
• Type of material
• Anchoring of roof system for wind uplift
• Framing details to include size and spacing of dimensional lumber, engineered lumber, valley, king, jack rafters, collar ties, and ridge beam construction and bracing

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Required guidelines and inspections when performing residential construction work in Orangeburg County:

• Homeowners obtaining their own permits for construction may utilize family members, not friends, to aid in the construction process. However, when entering into a contract with an individual, that person will have to be licensed for the full dollar amount of the contract. An individual licensed as a specialty contractor is only licensed to perform work up to $5,000.00 no more.
• Entering into a contract with an unlicensed contractor is not a binding contract by definition of South Carolina Law.

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SCHEDULING AN INSPECTION:

Orangeburg County requires a 24 hour notice to perform an inspection. (I.E. you call for an inspection on Monday the inspection will be performed on Tuesday.)

The information you will need when calling in:

• Address
• Tax map number or permit number
• Type of inspection you are requesting
• Contractor name
• Contact phone number
• We cannot guarantee a given time for your inspection. We can tell you if your inspection will be before lunch or after.

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SEQUENTIAL LISTING OF INSPECTION TYPES:

The following is a listing of the inspections to be performed when building residential occupancies in Orangeburg County. This listing is sequential.

Orangeburg County approved plans shall be on-site for review during the inspection process. Permits shall be posted for the job duration.

Foundation:

• Permit is to be posted in a conspicuous area. Not subject to the weather.
• Orangeburg County approved plans are to be on-site for review.
• Footing inspection shall have all required rebar in place.
• Vertical reinforcement shall be bent in an “L” configuration and the short bend section of the “L” shall be tied in place to the top of the main runners. All rebar shall maintain 3” clearance between earth and the rebar.
• Rebar is prohibited from being used as grade stakes.
• Wood, PVC, or completely coated metal grade stakes are acceptable.
• Footing shall be cleared of all roots, vegetation, and water.
• Clay brick shall not be used to support main runners of rebar. Cement brick is acceptable.
• Manufactures (Simpson and USB) require that foundation straps be inserted into hollow masonry block.
Foundation straps installed outside of block work is no longer acceptable.
• In seismic categories C, all homes shall have hold down requirements that meet the following:
• Within 12” of each corner
• 6’ on center around the perimeter of the home
• Embedment of anchor bolts shall be a minimum of 7”
• Homes constructed in seismic zones D0,D1 and D2 shall have anchoring as follows:
• Within 12” of each corner
• 6’ on center around the perimeter of the home
• Plate washer’s 3”x3”x1/4” shall be used on all anchor bolts
• Anchor bolt embedment shall be 7”
• Homes over two stories in height shall have hold down strapping or anchoring spaced at 4’ on center, and within 12” of each corner
• A continuous footing in seismic zones DO, D1, D2 shall support interior load bearing walls. Anchorage shall be 6 ft. on center and within 12” of each end of the bottom plate. This also applies to townhouses in seismic zone C.
• Corner piers on pier curtain walls shall consist of 2-8”x16” solidly poured hollow masonry block each direction in all seismic zones. All piers shall be poured solid with type M or S mortar in areas of vertical reinforcement and piers containing hold down requirements shall also meet this same requirement. Pier curtain wall shall not exceed 4’. On July 1, 2009 max height shall be 3’ unless engineer plans are provided.
• Termite treatment shall be accomplished prior to pour. If some type of post approved method of termite treatment is to be used, this information shall be provided at the time of scheduling an inspection.

Slabs:

• Orangeburg County only inspects structural slabs. Garage slabs that do not support any wall, roof, or floor load are omitted from the inspection process.
• Area where slab is to be placed shall be free and clear of all vegetation.
• Compaction results will have to be furnished to Orangeburg County for review.
• Six-mil vapor barrier is required for dwelling slabs.
• If slab is to have electrical or plumbing installed within, then an electrical or plumbing slab inspection will have to be performed prior to the building slab. Once these trade inspections have been performed, the affected area shall be covered up and compacted.
• Form work for the slab shall be in place and secure.
• Area shall be treated for termites.

Pier and/or CMU Wall Inspections:

• This inspection applies only to crawl space construction.
• All piers and CMU wall shall be inspected prior to pour.
• All hold down strapping applications for the floor system shall be complete at this time.

Wall/Roof Sheathing:

• Orangeburg County is in a high wind region. Specific nailing patterns as well as hold-down-requirements have to be met and inspected. Inspection shall take place prior to any felt or building wrap being applied to the structure.
• Exceptions: Roof felt may be installed, but spot areas will need to be cut for inspection purposes.

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Rough-in Inspection:

Orangeburg County will inspect the following as one inspection under the heading of rough-in inspection.

• Electrical Rough-In
• All branch circuits are to be installed and terminate in approved boxes, stapled, protected with nail guards where required, and inserted into panel with approved connectors. Grounding conductors shall be made on all receptacles and switches.
• All smoke detectors boxes shall be installed and inner-connected to each other.
• Draft stopping of all penetrations shall be sealed with great stuff foam or other approved means.
• NM cable passing through masonry walls shall be sleeved.
• Branch circuits exposed to the weather shall be UF cable or placed in approved conduit.
• Plumbing Rough-In
• All PVC joints shall be cleaned with cleaner prior to making glue joints.
• Nail guards in top and bottom plates shall be 5”x8” in size.
• Head Pressure and Water pressure tests shall be performed for inspection.
• Waste lines shall have proper slope
• Draft stopping of penetrations shall be sealed with great stuff foam or other approved means.
• PVC, PEX, or copper tubing shall be sleeved when passing through masonry walls.
• Vent piping shall extend through the roof.
• Gas Rough-In
• Installing CCST piping, no unapproved joints shall be in concealed locations.
• CCST yellow plastic jacket shall be removed prior to insertion into a firebox of a fireplace.
• CCST shall be sleeved when passing through masonry walls.
• CCST piping shall be grounded as required.
• Proper nail guards shall be used when required at all notches or boring.
• Emergency cut-offs shall be installed at all gas appliance locations.
• Pressure test shall be provided at the time of inspection.
• All gas piping shall be complete.
• Means of bonding the gas line shall be installed.
• All draft stopping shall be complete.
• Pressure test for natural gas is 10psi; pressure test for LP gas is 20psi.
• Draft stopping shall be complete at the time of inspection.
• Mechanical Rough-In
• All ductwork shall be complete to include boots. (UL 181 approved tape or tape and mastic)
• Air handlers shall be installed
• Return air boxes shall be installed
• For central air conditioning and/or heat pump systems, 6 square inches per 1000 Btu’s per nominal cooling output rating shall be utilized for sizing of return ducts.
• Refrigerant lines shall be roughed-in.
• Dryer venting shall be installed
• Condensate lines shall be roughed-in
• All draft stopping shall be complete

Framing:

• Roofing material installed
• All windows shall be installed (Exception: Two-story house a window may be left out for the delivery of sheet rock.)
• All hold down devices shall be installed and ready for inspection.
• When using anchor bolts, a 3”x3” square washer is required in D0, D1 and D2 seismic zones.
• Regardless of hold down method used, all strapping, anchor bolts, and similar products shall be visible for inspection.
• All framing shall be complete, including decks and porches.
• All fire blocking where required shall be in place.

Insulation Inspection:

• Floor cavities = R-19
• Walls = R-13
• Ceilings = R-30

Temporary Power:

• All electrical devices and wiring shall be complete.
• Fixtures that are back-ordered may be electrically secured and installed prior to final inspection. This applies to fixtures only.

Final Inspection:

• Commonly referred to as the C.O. inspection (certificate of occupancy)
• All construction is complete. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing and building contractors are complete in their contractual obligations.
• Exception: Cosmetic applications are not required to be complete prior to final inspection.
• Paint
• Carpet
• Vinyl flooring
• All other items shall be complete in their entirety.

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