Building

Our Mission, Vision and Values:

The Building Department serves to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Sumter by creating safer and more accessible buildings and services, and to provide quality code and ordinance enforcement that are consistent, precise and complete while providing unparalleled customer service for all concerned with the safety and performance of the built environment. We aim to maintain our core values of customer service, integrity, professionalism, understanding and quality in all matters. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding building inspections, permitting or codes and ordinances, please contact us at (803) 774-1600.

Please click here to view our Forms & Applications.
Click here for information on Building Codes Changes Effective January 1.

Permit Processing:
You may contact the Permit Process Manager, Debbie Rauch, at 803-774-1617 and The Building Official, Woody Avins, at 803-774-1627 for both Residential and Commercial permit information.

Inspection Definitions:

1. Saw Pole Inspection: Preferred to be accomplished at the same time as footing Inspection   
2. Footing Inspection (also known as Foundation Inspection): This inspection encompasses looking at the width, depth and location of the trench and reinforcement placement within the trench for the footing only.
3. Open Floor Inspection: This in necessary only if you are building a crawl space foundation.
4. Plumbing Under Slab: This inspection is to check the water and drain lines that are contained within the slab. The foundation wall will be inspected for compliance at this time also.
5. Electrical Under Slab: Only needed if you have electrical conductors contained within the slab.
6. Rough-in Inspection: This included all Framing, Electrical, Plumbing, Gas and any Mechanical components installed within the structure. At this point, all work should be done and the structure should be ready to have the insulation installed and the sheet rock hung.
7. Temporary Power or Temp Electrical Inspection: Passing this inspection will allow the electrical service to be connected to the weather head of the structure thereby providing power to the structure.
8. Final Inspections: The structure should be ready to be moved into.  All fixtures are functioning, switch and receptacles covers installed, water meter set.

Inspection Request Policy & Procedures:
To schedule an inspection, please contact Robin Ayers at (803) 774-1634. Our inspection request policy is as follows:

1. Inspection requests received before 3 p.m. on any given workday will be scheduled for the following workday, if the inspection load based on prior requests will permit. Any inspection requests after 3 p.m. and “same-day” inspection requests are considered emergency inspection requests. They will be handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the building official.   
2. If a morning or afternoon time for the inspection is requested, all reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate that request based on inspector availability, site location and prior requests on a first-called first-served basis.   
3. Priority may be given to time-critical inspections such as footing and plumbing slab where weather may be a major factor.   
4. Inspection requests will only be accepted at the (803) 774-1634 phone number. If the line is in use serving another customer, your call will be transferred to voicemail. Please leave your name, phone number, inspection site address, permit number, and type of inspection requested. You will be called back to confirm that your request was received. You will be asked to call back if you do not have all of this information. If a message is left on any other phone numbers, your inspection request will not be processed.   
5. Inspection requests shall only be accepted from the contractor of record for the inspection requested or a representative of that company. An owner can not request inspections for a general contractor nor can a general contractor request inspections for his separately permitted subcontractors (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire sprinkler, etc.).    
6. The contractor of record for the inspection requested or an authorized representative of that company knowledgeable of the work to be inspected must be present at the inspection site at the time of the inspection.  
7. The inspector assigned to your inspection will contact you at the phone number you provide with your inspection request between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. on the day of your inspection to confirm the inspection time.   
8. If you need to cancel an inspection request or reschedule it for a later date, please do so before10 a.m. on the scheduled date. Failure to do so will count a failed inspection.