Special Inspections in PhiladelphiaStrucTech Structural Engineers
IBC Chapter 17 — done right, filed fast.
StrucTech is a Philadelphia structural engineering firm led by Jim Clancy, PE #42340. We provide PE-led special inspections for steel, concrete, masonry, post-installed anchors, and soils. Reports are formatted for direct Philadelphia L&I submission so your permit doesn't bottleneck.
Scope of work
Special inspections get triggered by the permit, not by a problem. If your approved drawings include a statement of special inspections, the work listed on it has to be observed by a registered special inspector while it happens. Miss a pour, skip a weld inspection, and there is no way to document it after the fact short of destructive testing. That is the situation we get called into most: a job already moving, with an inspection schedule nobody assigned.
The categories are set by IBC Chapter 17 as adopted by the Philadelphia Building Code. In practice that means structural steel and welding, high-strength bolting, concrete placement and sampling, reinforcing steel placement, masonry and grout, post-installed anchors, and soils or deep foundation work. Which items apply depends on your specific statement of special inspections, so we review it with you before the first site visit and build the schedule around the construction sequence.
On-site the work is straightforward and procedural. We show up at the point of the operation, not after. Reinforcing gets checked against the drawings before concrete arrives. Cylinders get cast, slump and air get recorded, and placement gets watched. Welds get visually inspected and bolts get verified for the specified condition. Anchors get checked for hole prep, embedment, and torque. Everything is photographed and logged the same day.
Documentation is where projects usually stall, so we treat it as part of the job rather than an afterthought. Each visit produces a dated report with observations, any discrepancies, and the correction status. Discrepancies get flagged to the contractor immediately, tracked, and closed out in writing. At completion we issue a final signed and sealed report covering every listed category, formatted for direct L&I submission.
If you have a statement of special inspections and no inspector assigned, get us the drawings and the schedule. Call (267) 310-1172 or send the permit set through the contact form and we will tell you exactly what needs to be covered.
- Steel & welding inspections
- Concrete placement & sampling
- Masonry & grout
- Post-installed anchors
- Soils & deep foundations
- L&I-ready reports
Special Inspections across Philadelphia neighborhoods
How It Works
Simple, fast, on-record.
Call or Request
Reach a real engineer — same day for emergencies.
Site Assessment
On-site inspection, photos, and condition documentation.
Stamped Report
PE-sealed letter or report formatted for L&I submission.
Permit Cleared
We support the permit through pickup and re-inspection.
Special Inspections questions
How do I know if my project needs special inspections?
Check your approved permit drawings for a statement of special inspections. If one is there, every item it lists has to be observed by a registered special inspector while the work happens. The homepage calls this out under Special Inspection Required for a reason: it is set by the permit, not by a problem on site.
What happens if a concrete pour or weld is covered before it gets inspected?
The inspection window is gone. Documenting covered work usually means exposing it again or running destructive testing, which costs time and money. Book us before the pour or the steel erection starts so each item is observed in sequence.
What do I receive after each special inspection visit?
Each Site Visit/Structural Inspection produces a field report with photos, the items observed, and any deficiencies. At the end of the scope we issue a final Structural Engineering Report signed by Jim Clancy, Special Inspector #051782, formatted for L&I submission.
Which materials and systems do your special inspections cover?
Structural steel and welding, cast-in-place concrete and sampling, structural masonry, and post-installed anchors. If your statement lists something outside that group, send it over and we will tell you plainly whether it falls within our scope.
Permit on hold? Structure unsafe? Don't wait.
Get In Touch
Request an Engineer
Tell us about the project. We'll reach back fast — same day for active permits and emergencies.
Or call us directly: (267) 310-1172