Skowhegan, ME Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

The inspection process is set by Section 7 of the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code Administrative Ordinance of the Town of Skowhegan, adopted at Town Meeting on June 11, 2012 (Article 48) and effective July 1, 2012. For structures covered by the International Residential Code, inspections run on request: upon notification, the Building Official makes the requested inspections and either indicates the portion of the construction that is satisfactory as completed or notifies the permit holder wherein the work fails to comply.

Two holds protect the inspection stages. Any portion that does not comply must be corrected, and it cannot be covered or concealed until the Building Official authorizes it. Work also cannot be done beyond the point indicated in each inspection without first obtaining the Building Official's approval. In practice the permit holder has to call before closing in each stage of work.

Structures covered by the International Building Code follow a different track under Section 8. The Town chose the Building Official option for International Residential Code structures and the Third-Party Inspector option for International Building Code structures. For the latter, certified reports from third-party inspectors must be submitted to the Building Official before a certificate of occupancy is obtained, and the inspections are obtained through independent contractual arrangements between the building owner and a third-party inspector.

The Skowhegan Building Safety Ordinance, amended through June 11, 2018, adds a parallel step. Under its Section (11)C the Code Enforcement Officer must be contacted to schedule any required inspections, and under Section (11)D, upon successful completion of the inspection, the CEO issues a Certificate of Occupancy. If an inspection identifies defects, a Certificate of Occupancy is not issued until the problems are corrected.

Under Section 11 of the MUBEC ordinance, the Building Official issues the Certificate of Occupancy prior to a building or structure being used or occupied, and prior to a change in the existing occupancy classification.