Is the work being done permitted? Meaning werre permits pulled. That means code inspectors will inspect the work as part of the permit process.

If there were no permits pilled---by all means hire a HI. Just do not ask a realtor for a referral. HIs who work for realtors often modify the way they inspect. I've worked on houses passed by realtor hired HIs---it was terrible as a rule.

The project is fully permitted. Its a major addition. Problem is I'm not sure exactly what level of inspection is being performed by the city and I've seen, what I believe to be, some serious mistakes. For example, I don't believe there is any inspection of the quality of wood floor installation (e.g. gaps) and I want to a professional to tell me when there appears to be shoddy work being done, and not necessarily related to safety.

Yeah, the codes inspectors rarely say much about quality of work outside the code parameters.

However, having an independent inspector comment on installation matters is still only one opinion. That opinion may back up your own, but in most areas it has no legal weight.

You are paying for the job, you have the right to demand rework for obvious misinstallation problems.

You might seek out a retired builder in your area who is known around for doing quality work when he/she was in business and get their unbiased take on your project. Offer them a fee similar to an inspectors unless they offer you a number and go from there.

A home inspector is the wrong trade to employ for this. They typically do not receive enough training to do the more in depth job you're seeking. I'm with Sierraeast on this. You need an on site construction supervisor who reports to YOU and a retired builder would be the perfect individual for this role.

However, this will completely ruin a probably already strained relationship with your builder. If you are already doing on site inspections and have some minimal construction knowledge, there is nothing wrong with you assuming the role of quality control. If you feel you can't be objective, hire the consultant. Be prepared for a nasty fight though. Because some of the issues you will raise are "value judgement" issues, rather than having a black and white solution. "Poor quality" to you may be "builder's quality" to someone else and be perfectly acceptable, though not ideal, in their eyes. It will all come down to how your written contract is worded. For instance, if all it says is "walls painted with 2x colors" and doesn't define whether the job be rolled or sprayed or how many coats or what type of primer, then you objecting to a thinly sprayed builder grade job is not going to get you anywhere. The wall is "painted". Just not to your standards.

As a homebuilder, I've been on the other side of this equation more than once. In one case, the homebuyer questioned just about everything and never believed a word I said till she had an "expert" inspect it. That included "gaps" in the wood flooring, as the oak shrunk during the winter dry weather, and the sounds of the house "collapsing"-- the municipal inspector explained it was a metal air return stop. I pulled back the carpet, lifted the subfloor and replaced the stop with wood--a $20 repair.

The last new home I sold, the buyer's inspector discovered one covered sink trap, and requested that the w.c.s be tightened and a sink be resiliconed to the counter. I'm sure his $500 fee was well worth it to the purchaser.

On the other hand, I've seen many subpar finishings that pass every test of safety but reek of amateurism. That's why it's so important to check the quality of the gc's past jobs.