Committee approves 2½-hour inspection window bill after contractors, building managers testify

The Assembly State and Local Government Committee released A5130, a bill that would require enforcing agencies to conduct construction inspections within a 2½-hour time window, create an online complaint process on the Department of Community Affairs website and authorize corrective actions under the State Uniform Construction Code Act.

Contractors and property managers told the committee that multi-hour inspection windows delay work, increase costs and can impede closings on homes and leases. Witnesses urged the committee to adopt the time window and create accountability when inspections are missed.

A representative of the Central Jersey Association of Builders, speaking on behalf of roughly 814 members, told the committee that current wide time windows — for example 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. — force contractors and homeowners to wait and sometimes miss inspectors. "What we're proposing is some sort of change, that allows for a 2 and a half hour window," the representative said, arguing a shorter window would reduce rescheduling and downstream delays.

Nachemia Isbee, who described herself as a manager of nearly one million square feet of commercial office space across several townships, said late or missed inspections have tangible costs for tenants and owners. She described a case in which a missed inspection delayed a tenant's move-in around a mortgage deadline, imposing extra expenses on owners and customers.

Committee members described the proposal as a "common-sense" accountability measure and noted municipalities that already provide narrower windows. The bill allows the Department of Community Affairs to take corrective action, including penalties, for confirmed violations of the State Uniform Construction Code Act.

The committee released the bill; transcript records indicate the measure cleared committee without a detailed roll-call recorded in the hearing text.