Pre-gunite inspection
Also called: pre-gunite, steel and plumbing inspection.
The pre-gunite inspection is the first of four inspections in a standard in-ground pool build (pre-gunite, pre-deck, pre-plaster, final). With the rebar tied and every pipe in the open, it verifies pipe sizes, the number and location of main drains, skimmers and returns, and the step and bench geometry against the approved plan.
Why it matters
It is the last look at the plumbing and the steel. The shell is sprayed the next day, and every depth, step and bench in it becomes permanent. So be there the day before with the plan and a tape measure: check where the returns and skimmers actually are, how deep the shallow end and the tanning ledge measure, where the steps and benches sit, and whether the pressure gauge on the plumbing is still holding. Get the plumbing pressure test in writing as a PSI and a duration before pre-gunite, because there is no single published spec. Your jurisdiction sets its own inspection list.
In numbers
Builders and inspectors variously quote 35 PSI for 24 hours, 35 PSI for 15 minutes, 25 PSI for 24 hours, and 20 to 30 PSI for 24 hours. A line can pass fifteen minutes and fail overnight, which is how a slow leak behaves.