What types of inspections are you doing or being subject to? Do you remove panel covers? I ask because I know of only one inspector around here that wants to see the panel with the cover off. I thought this was just a pain until yesterday. I went into a house to add some circuits. The house was a few years old. The panel was a mess. Besides the horrible way the wires were just thrown in there all the terminals were loose. Breakers, grounds, neutrals. Several of the ground terminals were just never tightened. All the neutrals were doubled up and none of the grounds were. I wonder if an inspector would have caught any of this simply by looking in the panel and maybe giving a tug to some of the wiring. Also the breakers were from a different manufacturer and were not listed on the cover for use.

Every time I have been around for an inspection, all three will remove the cover and check inside, one guy pulls on the wires to each breaker and the neutrals.
then they checck the ground rods and water meter, if it exists, and point of attachment.
-Mark-

In my area the inspectors don't look "behind the scenes" unless something is obviously wrong, then they will probe a little further. It kind of ticks me off, because I take pride in the quality of my work and I want them to see it.

I do service entrance inspections & I need to see inside the panel. Also, the more I see wrong, the more I look.

Most city/county inspectors I know simply don't have enough time to take a real hard look at everything & since they are already weak on the NEC, they tend to stick to what few areas they are familiar with, so a lot of stuff gets by them.

lack of time/manpower allows for only a quick run through here...

The inspectors I deal with the most are pretty good about checking the whole system. They test each light and recept, pull panel and disco covers, check smoke detectors, bonding requirements, and spot check junctions.

The inspectors around here do "inspections of dummies."

If they have seen your work before and it was good, you get a quick inspection.

If you are new or have had had problems, out comes the test equipment and you have 1/2 day or more of attention.

DIYs get a short list of mistakes on each trip out.

Probably does not follow your normal procedures, but I always watch a torque down of individual conductors and any field modified or installed parts of service equipment. We only do that in services, but keep as close an eye as possible on branch stuff and devices. That must be certified along with megger and micro ohm readings.

…watch a torque down of individual conductors…
…certified along with megger and micro ohm readings…

George, please pardon me. I mean no disrespect, but which costs more/takes longer—the inspection or the installation?

I've got a torque wrench on my truck and I actually use it. Only once have I had an inspector even ask about torque. He asked what the torque rating was on the panel to make sure I'd read it and then asked to see my torque wrench. But usually I'm not there when the inspector decides to show up.

To my customers, it is irrelevant the cost as long as they get a product that is built to last, probably one of the major differences.

One place I worked, I was the one filling in the certs, where I work now they actually employ a certified testing firm to do the same thing, IOW they employ a certified tester to watch a certified tester, and employ me to guarantee they are both there, how 'bout that.

myself personally, I walk with the inspector and show him anything I have concerns with in the residence. Not so much as the work that I have done but what is existing. Basically I use the inspectors as a second opinion. If I think something is hazardous and the inspector does as well it has to be done. I do it the same way with my employee's as well. After all its my license on the line with every job..

James