(a) The governing body of any municipality or county adopting any state minimum standard code shall have the power:

(1) To adopt by ordinance or resolution any reasonable provisions for the enforcement of the state minimum standard codes, including procedural requirements, provisions for hearings, provisions for appeals from decisions of local inspectors, and any other provisions or procedures necessary to the proper administration and enforcement of the requirements of the state minimum standard codes;

(2) To provide for inspection of buildings or similar structures to ensure compliance with the state minimum standard codes;

(3) To employ inspectors, including chief and deputy inspectors, and any other personnel necessary for the proper enforcement of such codes and to provide for the authority, functions, and duties of such inspectors;

(4) To require permits and to fix charges therefor;

(5) To contract with other municipalities or counties adopting any state minimum standard code to administer such codes and to provide inspection and enforcement personnel and services necessary to ensure compliance with the codes; and

(6) To contract with any other county or municipality whereby the parties agree that the inspectors of each contracting party may have jurisdiction to enforce the state minimum standard codes within the boundaries of the other contracting party.

(b) The commissioner shall be authorized to establish a training program for local inspectors whereby a representative of the department, upon the request of the governing authority of a county or municipality, may visit such county or municipality for the purpose of training the inspectors of such county or municipality in the effective enforcement of any state minimum standard code adopted by such county or municipality. The commissioner may from time to time establish regional training programs whereby the inspectors of several different counties and municipalities may take advantage of the training made available by such regional training programs.

(c) No local inspector shall require any person performing work in compliance with a state minimum standard code or variations thereto which are in conformity with the provisions of this part to comply with the standards of any other building code not covered by this part.

(d)(1) In lieu of inspection by an inspector or other person employed by the governing authority of any county or municipality, a licensed master plumber or utility contractor shall have the option of installing a water or sewer line according to the alternative inspection procedure described in this subsection where the installation is on private property outside the building underground.

(2) If the master plumber or utility contractor elects to utilize this inspection procedure, he or she shall file with the local inspector:

(A) Notice that the water and sewer line will be installed in accordance with the Standard Plumbing Code and will be inspected pursuant to the alternative inspection procedure described in this subsection;

(B) A copy of his or her master plumber or utility contractor certificate issued by the State Construction Industry Licensing Board;

(C) A copy of his or her trenching competent person certificate;

(D) A certificate showing that a bond has been filed in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 43-14-12, except that such bond shall be in the amount of $50,000.00 and issued by a surety rated "A," "Class VI," or better by the A. M. Best Company; and

(E) Within five business days after completion of the installation, a sworn certification that the water or sewer line has been installed in accordance with the Standard Plumbing Code.

(3) The department shall promulgate a standard form notice and a standard form certificate that shall be used to administer this subsection. Local inspectors shall make copies of the standard forms available to contractors.

(4) The master plumber or utility contractor shall be required to pay to the governing authority the applicable permit fee.

(5) Upon submission of the certification required by this subsection, the local governing authority shall be required to accept the inspection without the necessity of further inspection or approval, except that the local governing authority may perform an inspection at any time and may issue a stop-work order if the work is found to be in violation of code requirements.

(6) Any other provision of this subsection notwithstanding, the alternative inspection procedure described in this subsection shall be applicable only to installations on private individual single-family residential property.

(e)(1) Any county or municipal building permit issued in this state to a general contractor or homebuilder for residential or commercial construction shall have prominently printed thereon at least one inch apart from any other text on such permit and in type size and boldness equal to or greater than any other type size and boldness in the body of the permit the following:

"The issuance of this permit authorizes improvements of the real property designated herein which improvements may subject such property to mechanics' and materialmen's liens pursuant to Part 3 of Article 8 of Chapter 14 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. In order to protect any interest in such property and to avoid encumbrances thereon, the owner or any person with an interest in such property should consider contacting an attorney or purchasing a consumer's guide to the lien laws which may be available at building supply home centers."

(2) Any county or municipal construction permit, including but not limited to mechanical, plumbing, or electrical permits, issued in this state on existing residential or commercial property shall have prominently printed thereon at least one inch apart from any other text on such permit and in type size and boldness equal to or greater than any other type size and boldness in the body of the permit the following:

"The issuance of this permit authorizes improvements of the real property designated herein which improvements may subject such property to mechanics' and materialmen's liens pursuant to Part 3 of Article 8 of Chapter 14 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. In order to protect any interest in such property and to avoid encumbrances thereon, the owner or any person with an interest in such property should consider contacting an attorney or purchasing a consumer's guide to the lien laws which may be available at building supply home centers."

(3) Any person or entity which is issued a permit which authorizes improvements to new or existing residential or commercial real property shall be required to:

(A) Post a copy of such permit in a conspicuous place in the vicinity of such property where such improvements are being undertaken; or

(B) Deliver a copy of the permit to the property owner within ten days after the permit is received.

(f) A local inspector, including a fire service employee enforcing a state or local fire safety standard, who specifies a code violation noted during an inspection shall, upon the written request of the permit holder, cite in writing the particular code book, section, and edition of the code which is the basis of the violation.

(g)(1) If a governing authority of a county or municipality cannot provide inspection services within two business days of receiving a valid written request for inspection, then, in lieu of inspection by inspectors or other personnel employed by such governing authority, any person, firm, or corporation engaged in a construction project which requires inspection shall have the option of retaining, at its own expense, a professional engineer who holds a certificate of registration issued under Chapter 15 of Title 43, and who is not an employee of or otherwise affiliated with or financially interested in such person, firm, or corporation, to provide the required inspection.

(2) Any inspection conducted by a registered professional engineer shall be no less extensive than an inspection conducted by a county or municipal inspector.

(3) The person, firm, or corporation retaining a registered professional engineer to conduct an inspection shall be required to pay to the county or municipality which requires the inspection the same permit fees and charges which would have been required had the inspection been conducted by a county or municipal inspector. (4) The registered professional engineer shall be empowered to perform any inspection required by the governing authority of any county or municipality, including, but not limited to, inspections for footings, foundations, concrete slabs, framing, electrical, plumbing, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), or any and all other inspections necessary or required for the issuance of a certificate of occupancy by the governing authority of any county or municipality, provided that the inspection is within the scope of such engineer's branch of engineering expertise.

(5) The registered professional engineer shall submit a copy of his or her inspection report to the county or municipality.

(6) Upon submission by the registered professional engineer of a copy of his or her inspection report to the local governing authority, said local governing authority shall be required to accept the inspection of the registered professional engineer without the necessity of further inspection or approval by the inspectors or other personnel employed by the local governing authority unless said governing authority has notified the registered professional engineer, within two business days after the submission of the inspection report, that it finds the report incomplete or the inspection inadequate and has provided the registered professional engineer with a written description of the deficiencies and specific code requirements that have not been adequately addressed.

(7) A local governing authority may provide for the prequalification of registered professional engineers who may perform inspections pursuant to this subsection. No ordinance implementing prequalification shall become effective until notice of the governing authority's intent to require prequalification and the specific requirements for prequalification have been advertised in the newspaper in which the sheriff's advertisements for that locality are published. The ordinance implementing prequalification shall provide for evaluation of the qualifications of a registered professional engineer on the basis of the engineer's expertise with respect to the objectives of the inspection, as demonstrated by the engineer's experience, education, and training.

(8) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit any public or private right of action designed to provide protection, rights, or remedies for consumers.