Special inspections are required by the current building code and are outlined in the links below. The Fairfax County Special Inspections Program (SIP), established in 1973 after the collapse of a 26-story concrete building under construction, monitors all major commercial and residential construction projects.

Special inspections are observations, inspections and tests conducted during the construction of a building which require particular expertise to substantiate adequacy. The owner must retain a Registered Design Professional to provide these services, and bears the associated costs.

Note: A pre-construction meeting and a critical structures meeting are the same thing and referred to as both in the program manual, Web page and in PLUS.