Building Plans Examiner

Building Plans Checker

The County of Siskiyou is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applicants of any race, religion, or ancestry. For exact salary information please refer to the current salary schedule. County Website

Under direct or general supervision, performs plan and specification review for construction, improvements, remodeling, alteration, and repair plans for compliance with codes, ordinances and regulations; performs related work as assigned. This classification is a for cause, exempt position.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a specialized classification in the Building Department which primarily performs building plan examination, checking and review; and may assist with field inspections in the Building Department.

REPORTS TO Deputy Director of Building

CLASSIFICATIONS SUPERVISED This is not a supervisory class.

Essential Functions:

• Receives reviews and checks building plans for compliance with requirements of national, state, and local codes and ordinances relative to building structure, electrical systems, plumbing, mechanical, fire safety, and energy
• Calculates foundation, stress, square footage, and support requirements for plan checks
• Drafts plan review comments relative to code requirements in a manner that is technically sufficient for the professional and fundamentally understandable by the owner or builder
• Meets with design professional, owners, builders, and others to discuss problem area with submitted projects
• Works with other State and County departments to ensure a complete and accurate plan review
• Identifies project data necessary for permit processing such as project valuations type of construction, use, quantity and type of utilities and machinery, building size and provides that information in an easily understandable format to permit processing staff
• Communicates with field inspectors, permit technicians and other departments to gain additional knowledge on projects that might affect the permit process
• May perform some field inspections to determine compliance with applicable codes.
• May visit construction sites and assist building inspectors in the field where engineering problems are encountered; advises on engineering matters and technical judgments
• Prepares plan review reports, comment sheets, and correspondence noting plan deficiencies and building code enforcement issues; maintains records of plan checking activities
• Refers to a variety of manuals, documents and books including California Codes specific to Building, Plumbing and Mechanical, National Electrical Code, and ICC Research Reports
• Approves, processes, and issues building permits
• Collects monies and fees for permits
• Responds to public inquiries over the telephone or at the counter concerning questions regarding permit processing, building, or other construction-related questions; calculates permit fees
• Assists applicants in achieving compliance with various codes and regulations
• Attends meetings to review and discuss plans, documents, and code requirements
• Performs field reviews as necessary
• Performs related duties as required

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and methods of structural and building plan review
• Practices for documenting plan checking procedures, and correcting discrepancies
• Civil engineering principles, techniques, policies, and procedures
• Construction methods, materials, tools, and equipment used for complex residential, commercial, and industrial construction, and principles of structural engineering
• Methods, materials, tools, and safety practices of the building, plumbing, and electrical trades
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility, including building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, life safety, energy, and related codes
• Principles of mathematics related to the building plan review and checking, including some knowledge of trigonometry and plain geometry
• Principles and practices of building inspection
• Legal processes and considerations involved in prosecuting violations of the building codes and ordinances
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation
• Techniques for effectively representing the County in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, educational, and regulatory organizations, and with property owners, developers, contractors, and the public
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and County staff

Desired skills:

• Perform complex technical plan reviews without immediate supervision
• Apply technical knowledge of building trades work
• Read, interpret, and explain building and construction plans, diagrams, specifications and building codes
• Interpret local laws, ordinances, requirements, and regulation related to building inspection…