What does the Ottawa framing inspection check on a deck?

Ottawa's framing inspection comes "at completion of structural framing and guards." That is what the City says about it. We found no separate framing checklist on ottawa.ca for homeowners.

What the framing stage covers

The permit drawings the City requires give a clear picture of what needs to be in place before this inspection is booked. Those drawings must show:

• Footing or foundation type, size and location, including helical pile layout and specifications where applicable
• Joists, beams, posts and decking with size, spacing, direction and span
• The deck-to-house connection, such as a ledger board
• Stair construction and location
• Guard and handrail information, including height and infill

Guards are specifically named at this stage, which matters because the 2024 Ontario Building Code sets guard height requirements, the no-climb rule for infill between 140 mm and 900 mm above the walking surface, and the opening size limit of 100 mm for the passage of a sphere.

The City asks that inspections be booked 48 hours in advance. There are three inspections in total for a permitted deck: Excavation/Foundations (for in-situ piers and pads, before backfill), Framing (at completion of structural framing and guards), and Final (at completion of framing, stairs and guards). The framing inspection sits in the middle of that sequence.

One practical point: if the deck will be built differently from the permit drawings, discuss the change with the City's Building Code Services before the inspection.

If you have questions about what your specific permit drawings require at the framing stage, ask the City's Building Code Services.