Understand the 2003 IRC. To pass inspection, you have to build to Code. But hunting through the Code to find the rules, and then trying to understand them can be a challenge.

The 2003 International Residential Code Study Companion is guaranteed to make the job easier. It tells you the code section, quotes it, then explains it in plain English. Best of all, there’s a large, clear illustration showing exactly how the work must be done.