🏗️ Missed an Inspection? Here’s How to Fix It With an Engineering Letter — Real Talk From the Field

At Oasis Engineering, we help homeowners and builders navigate tricky situations with permits and inspections — especially when something slips through the cracks.

One of the most common scenarios we see? Missed inspections on retaining walls, footings, or steelwork. That’s exactly what happened during a recent conversation with one of our clients, Elvin, who’s building a container-based structure and ran into issues with his city inspector.

Let’s break it down.

❌ What Happened?

Elvin was working on a retaining wall and slab foundation. He installed the steel, poured the footing, and built the wall — but somewhere along the way, the inspector didn’t return to verify the steel in the wall before the concrete pour.

There was a miscommunication: the inspector passed the slab inspection but was never clearly asked about the wall inspection. Elvin thought it was greenlit… until after the concrete was already poured.

At that point, the inspector said:

“I needed to inspect the wall steel before concrete. Now it’s too late — you’ll need an engineer to certify it.”

🧾 The Solution: An Engineering Letter for Missed Inspections

This is where our As-Built / Certification Engineering Letter comes into play. We provide a signed and sealed report verifying that:

Reinforcement and construction were done per code The work aligns with structural drawings or approved specs The client provides photos and field documentation to support the as-built conditions

We help bridge the gap when in-progress inspections are missed — giving city officials the paperwork they need and helping you avoid tearing things out unnecessarily.

📸 What You Need to Provide

To issue an engineering letter, we always ask clients like Elvin to send us:

Clear photos of reinforcement before the pour Photos of the site conditions during each key stage Any forms or requirements issued by the city Sketches or notes if needed to clarify what was built Confirmation of dimensions and layout (e.g. rebar size, spacing, concrete coverage)

Pro tip from the call:

“Try to take pictures every day or right before each major step. Without photos, it’s hard to certify something that’s already buried in concrete.”

🧱 What About Other Elements Like Anchor Plates?

Elvin also asked about the 12”x12” steel base plates for the container columns. These weren’t inspected yet either. The answer?

If those plates are structural supports, they likely require inspection before the pour or at least before welding.

Some inspectors don’t handle metal or anchor inspections, so you need to ask early or check the city’s pre-construction meeting notes.

Every city is different — but if you’re not sure, ask the inspector to confirm via email what they need and when. That way you have it in writing.

🕒 How Fast Can You Get the Letter?

If you have all the documentation ready (photos + city form), we can usually turn around the certified engineering letter within 1–2 business days.

Elvin’s case? We told him:

“If you send me the photos and form today, I can have this ready by tomorrow morning.”

That’s our promise — fast, responsive service when you need it most.

✅ Final Tip: Get It in Writing

Permitting can feel like a moving target. Even if an inspector gives you verbal approval, follow up with an email to confirm.

Misunderstandings happen — and it’s always better to have written proof of what was approved and when.

Need Help Closing Out a Project?

If you’re missing an inspection, working on a permit close-out, or need a structural engineering letter to move forward — we’ve got you.

📩 Just send us:

Your site photos

City-issued forms

Any dimensions or notes

A quick message about what happened

👉 We’ll take care of the rest and make sure you’re covered.

Contact Oasis Engineering today — let’s help you move your project forward, without backtracking.

That’s where Oasis Engineering can help.