Getting the city to check your pipes: in-person or virtual inspection?

I’m with you on the frustration. The last in-person inspection I had, the inspector tracked gravel in from the driveway and somehow managed to scuff up my new baseboards. Not a huge deal, but it definitely left me wishing I’d put down more drop cloths or something. There’s a certain peace of mind with having someone physically there, but I’ve started leaning toward virtual when it’s an option.

Virtual isn’t perfect - my WiFi dropped halfway through once and I had to awkwardly reconnect while holding my phone under the sink. Still, at least there’s no mess to clean afterward, and you can kind of control what gets seen (and what doesn’t). Makes it a bit less invasive. One thing I noticed: virtual inspectors tend to ask for more camera angles and sometimes want to see details you wouldn’t expect, like the shutoff valve behind the water heater. Worth double-checking your setup ahead of time.

If you’re prepping for either kind of inspection, it helps to take a few photos beforehand in case they need extra proof later. For in-person, I put down towels or cardboard in high-traffic areas now - learned that one the hard way after muddy boots on white tile.

Neither method is perfect, but honestly, as long as things get signed off without too much hassle, I’ll take a little WiFi trouble over scrubbing footprints out of grout any day.

I totally get where you’re coming from - having someone tromp through the house with muddy boots is one of those little things that just sticks with you. I had a similar situation last year, except mine involved an inspector who managed to knock over a potted plant on his way out. Dirt everywhere, and my poor spider plant never really recovered.

“at least there’s no mess to clean afterward, and you can kind of control what gets seen (and what doesn’t). Makes it a bit less invasive.”

That’s exactly why I’ve started preferring virtual, too. There’s something nice about not having to worry about what someone might bump into or track in. Plus, as someone who tries to keep things eco-friendly, I like not having to use up extra paper towels or cleaning products after the fact.

But yeah, the WiFi thing is real. Last time I had to do a virtual walkthrough, I ended up balancing my phone on a stack of old paint cans just to get a good angle under the sink. Not my finest moment.

It’s funny how these little hassles add up, but you’re right - if the inspection gets signed off without too much drama, that’s what matters most.

Virtual inspections have definitely made things easier in a lot of ways, but I still find myself torn sometimes. Not having to worry about muddy boots or accidental plant casualties is a huge plus, no doubt. I’ve had my fair share of scuffed floors and random fingerprints on the walls from in-person visits, so I get the appeal of just pointing a camera and being done with it.

That said, the tech hiccups can be a real headache. I once spent nearly half an hour trying to get a stable connection in the basement, only for the inspector to ask me to “tilt the phone just a little more” every two seconds. It’s not always as smooth as it sounds on paper.

One thing I’ve started doing is prepping the space ahead of time - making sure everything’s well-lit and there’s nothing blocking access to whatever they need to see. It cuts down on the back-and-forth, whether it’s virtual or in-person. Still, I do miss the days when you could just hand someone a key and let them get on with it... but at least now my plants are safe.

Honestly, I hear you on the tech headaches. Virtual’s great until you’re stuck waving your phone around in a dark crawlspace, hoping the WiFi holds up. Here’s my quick-and-dirty checklist for virtual: charge your phone, test your signal in every room (especially basements), and have a flashlight handy. If the inspector can’t see something, just snap a photo and send it over - saves a lot of “left, no right, no up” nonsense. Still, sometimes I just bite the bullet and go old-school if it’s a tricky spot. Less stress, fewer dropped calls... but yeah, more muddy boots.

I get the appeal of virtual, especially when you’re trying to avoid crawling through spider webs just to show someone a pipe joint. But honestly, I’ve seen too many things get missed over a shaky video call - especially in older houses where nothing’s where you expect it. There’s just something about having eyes (and hands) on the job that tech can’t replace yet. Sure, muddy boots are a pain, but at least you know the inspector actually saw what needed seeing. Sometimes old-school is just less hassle in the end.