Does anyone have any good building inspector stories and would like to share them? Lets try to keep it clean guys!
-Lou
Does anyone have any good building inspector stories and would like to share them? Lets try to keep it clean guys!
-Lou
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Replies
Before anyone answers this do you have any friends or co-workers that are building inspectors? I wouldn't want you to go off the deep end over the stories! :-) DanT
Dan T, I thought of that and then said " ahhh they'll get over it !!! They can dish it out, The can take it!
LOU
"They can dish it out," ...they certainly can... and do...
"They can take it!"... no they can't...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"They can dish it out," ...they certainly can... and do...
"They can take it!"... no they can't...
True Dat. All of that.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
BIs come in all shapes and sizes. Some good, and some others. Some good guys, some jerks too.
1) ~5 years ago I had several houses scheduled for HVAC inspection. I was on site and saw the HVAC inspector pull up. Went over and introduced myself: "HI - my name is bla-bla-bla and I'm the site super. I'll be right here if you have any questions or need anything." Then I walked away - I try not to look directly over anyone's shoulder while they are doing their work. Then I got into a conversation with a subcontractor - in a front yard across the street from where houses were getting the HVAC inspection. I'm sure I never got out of the sight of the HVAC inspector though. The grader was there that day and grading the lots of the houses in question. Each house had a front porch about 2' tall but no steps yet. We had been using a stack of a few 8" cinderblocks for temp steps into each house. Grader had just that morning picked up the blocks and set them on the front porch so he could grade around the foundations/porches/etc. A few minutes later I saw him pulling off and thought "boy, that was fast". Then I checked the inspection boxes. HVAC inspector just walked down the line and rejected the lot of them - "no access to house" was written on the "payin paper": $60 a pop x3... Nothing I could do about it, but I always remembered that guy and did my best to demonstrate my utter distain for the guy without jeopardizing future inspections. What an A-hole!
2) Had another BI during a final BI walk throughout a house with brand new light beige carpeting with obviously muddy shoes - red clay - he refused to take off his shoes. The inspection passed and once the card was signed I let him know exactly what I thought of him.
Matt, sounds like there is an opportunity for supes to call a secret 800# and have that kind of asinine inspector mysterously 'disappear'. After a while, they'll either find the bodies piling up somewhere, or get a complete staff of good-guys.
There used to be one in Arkansas that was legendary. I heard he went on to co invent a wall system that is used as far away as Rhode Island.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
We used to have an inspector around here that inspected the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing. Getting this guy to show up was a job in itself.
When he showed up he would start his inspection and when he found one thing wrong, inspection over fix this and I'll be back. He wouldn't even finish looking through the whole house. He'd come back find something else fix this and I'll be back. Took forever to get a green sticker out of this a-hole.
Finally enough people called about this because it was taking 3 months for rough ins. All over a few wire staples or whatever. He is no longer with us in this area, he will not be missed.
guys, I would love to just punch that guy right in the mouth. I hate that(Them against us attitude). Just come in,say hi,what do we have here, explain to us what is wrong and what may happen if we do it this way. Just be a nice guy!!!!! Most of these guys are frustrated policeman. 20 years experience in the business and I have many stories to come.
-LMC
I knew one, here, that became an inspector, because wally world would not hire him. his brother in law was chief inspector. He failed me because I did not use welded wire in my slab. I used fiber. He claimed fiber was not on the permit, well neither is welded wire. He failed me on not calling him when I filled my block with concrete. I ask him how many block houses have you inspected in your life, "None". He failed me for using a convertion panel has a subpanel, " Not suppose to disconnect the bar on bottom" . Well the instruction says I can. I had to get his brother in law to rule on this. He failed me on the four inches step on front porch. Its a handicap house, I had to treaten to go to court on this one.when I built the garage, only time I called was for the final.He treaten to make me tear down and redo. My boss was with me. he pulled out his "PE" stamp. stamp the permit. "Get off my property"Hell I heard "Target " will not even accept applications from formal inspectors.
There used to be one in Arkansas that was legendary
ROAR!
Hey, he's still in Arkansas, unless he's moved recently, right?Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Yea but he's not an inspector anymore.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
But he is still legendary.
Ohh no doubt about it.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
and we spoke with him today IIR...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I once did a finished basement job in a county of my state. It was my first job there and last. When pulling the permit I had to wait a week, while they processed it along to different departments located in different buildings (The buildings where miles apart). Anyway, when it came to the close-in electrical inspection the inspector was a perfectionist. He kept nit-picking with an attitude. It took him three visits to finally pass me. Each time he found some new incidental. His demeaner was as if he was king of the county. I kept my cool though through the process.
Later at church I was talking to one of my electrician friends. He said he would never do work in that county ever because of that inspector. Now, my friend is as calm and nice as a man you will ever meet. He explained to me how once when doing a job that inspector came in smoking a cigar and while talking to him, kept blowing plumes of smoke at him in his face.
Does anyone have any good building inspector stories and would like to share them? Lets try to keep it clean guys!
hahaha
I think Ive already told this one but its been a while.
I inspected a bank job where they had installed three plus 80 units in the attic but the plans stamped said the attic was a conditioned air space. They needed plus 90s to accomplish that feat. They were roughly 2,000 grand a piece higher which Im sure is why I was looking at 80s. The roof was already insulated and attic walls. They had in deed built the building for a conditioned attic space but the equipment was wrong.
I told them to change the building to conform to the equipment or vice versa . The units would not come out of the building so I wrote them up over that plus the fact there was no walk ways to service the units. The stink was my decision was gonna cost a pile of money either way so they tried to fight it . I got called by the owner of the comapany trying to intiminate me . He in turn had his archy call me to do the same . They scheduled a meeting with the mayor and that prompted being called in with two councilmen present . My decision will stand requrdless and its mine to make as it was code plain and simple . It kinda pizzed me off though so I directly paid a visit to the job site . The project manager was there as well as the super. I demanded an answer to what their plans were to be in this case . They project manager made the statement they werent going to do anything different . I drew my cell phone and called light and water in front of them. I said Terry, I need a shut off on the bank tomorrow at 3pm of power and water . She said Tim , is that your order? I said yes Terry that is my order . Im shutting down the job tomorrow at 3 pm.
When I finished that phone call I found them looking at each other trying to imagine what they would no next. Of course they directly called the owner of their company and in a minute we had our plan of attack to the problem. The super instructed some laborers to start stripping insulation from the atttic. He told me they would start installing vents.
Tim
Mooney, no offence but what did you accomplish?
So now the attic has no insulation and a bunch of vents instead of slightly undersized A/C for the building? Would the attic humidity have really been so high as to make the entire building uninhabitable? Is it really that much better now? Maybe it's actually worse with an uninsulated attic open to the outside humidity?
When you do your inspections, do you ever think about things like this?
The code is not an end in itself. The object is to get better buildings.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
It wasn't the AC.It was the combustion air for the furnaces.Bad things can happen if the furnaces don't have enough combusiton air.
>>"It wasn't the AC.
>>"It was the combustion air for the furnaces.
Oops. "Nevermind." ;-)
(I guess the difference between to 80s and 90s is the 90s are closed combustion -- thought he was talkin' A/C model #s).
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
bad things can happen!!!! O-OK one person dies in 30years so it has to become law. Why not just let the lawyers be BI's
-Lou
It is because of people like you that don't care about the safety of their clients that building codes and inspections are required.FWIW backdrafting and carbon monoxide poisoning are very serious problems.If you have not already breathed too much CO to understand here is some information.http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/communications/CO/co_cases.htmlhttp://healthandenergy.com/backdrafting_of_chimneys.htm
I know the results of back drafting very well. Woke the sleeping giant did I. All I'm saying is that some codes are passed for political and bureucratic reasons (lobbyist pushing there investors product). I care very much about my customers, I follow all the codes!!! Been in business 20 years never did a job without permits EVER!!!!!.(my grandfather was a BI and he stress the importance) I guess these guys just piss me off with there attitudes. My pops was well respected and I nice guy. Old timers say he was tough but cordial. One day he stayed to help a contractor finish up a job so he could take the family on vacation. Thats a real man in my book. Not a BI who wants to be a cop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-LMC
All I'm saying is that some codes are passed for political and bureucratic reasons (lobbyist pushing there investors product).
Care to give an example or two?
Ever made a code recommendation or served on a code committee? You have as much voice in code changes as anyone else.
http://news.yahoo.com--
Here's how things work in my town. Code adoption is a highly politicized process. It follows the golden rule -- you know, the other one which tallies campaign contributions.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
wasn't the BTK serial killer a building inspector? He had some occupation where he would hand out fines or something....the police psychologists predicted that he was basically a super-dick (his personality profile before he was caught)....all his co-workers and the people he dealt with said he was the worst."I hate quotations. Tell me what you know" Ralph Waldo Emerson
No, he was a "codes" inspector.Overgrown yard, trash, broken window, etc.
Any inhabital building must be ventilated from soffit vents to pitch vents above the inhabital area.
First off depending on the local if it wasnt vented the area could pass excess of 250 degrees depending on the roof color too. You would then be trying to coll the area below it to 73 degrees. If it was vented you could hold it above 150 degrees or cooler thus making it much cheaper to operate your air conditioning . If the home was sized as they normally always are of a half ton per 350 sg ft per this area , it would not keep you cool unvented.
Second , the roof would not live out its warranty and in fact would void it . You might get a little over half and you might not of its life.
Third , a plus 80 is a combustion furnace that puts out heat as well , and can put put out gases which is against the the code in an unvented area .
If they had wanted to they could have chosen plus 90s which are all electric. But they broke that little code that says they must have accesss for removal to you the owner will be protected. They had to do that anyway but they didnt have enough strength in men at that point to lift up the new ones or strong enough support from trusses to winch three of those babies up with out tearing up the trusses. They still did a mis service by puttintg them up there cause I dont think they will ever come down. Probably when it comes replacement time there will be new units installed out side. Ill add here that they lifted them with the truss crane part way through raising the trusses.
What I got out of it was doing my job protecting the owners and not breaking the law . If I had allowed it my city would have been negligent .
Tim
What I got out of it was doing my job protecting the owners and not breaking the law . If I had allowed it my city would have been negligent .
Tim, I think you're motives are "pure" but I still want to give you a few things to think about.
The job you described was a commercial job (you said a bank). If you're talking about holding up a job for safety reasons (CO or fire -- not enough makeup air leading to CO or flame rollout), then fine, I have no bone to pick.
If you're talking about holding up a job because the A/C would not be as efficient as you would like or it would be tough to service the units, remember that the owner you are trying to protect has an empty building with no c/o. You hold up that job long enough, the bankruptcy court might end up with a nice building to auction. You've done a great job protecting the owner.
A long term lease is worth more than A/C units and a roof. Some are worth more than the building thay cover. Hold up a job so the owner loses an agreed move in date for a long term tenant and loses that lease, you haven't done the owner any favors. You might just put him/her out of business.
Maybe next time think about getting the owner (through their archy) involved when you are so happy about shutting down a job to "protect" the owner. That's why owners pay archys to stay on a job (bank that do commercial construction financing require them most of the time anyway). You seem to be proud of ignoring them.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Phil, you seem to be forgetting the conversation that Tim had with the people before he tossed his weight around. The people informed Tim that they weren't going to do anything. It was their attitude that started the ball rolling. Tim just finished the deal.
blue
>>"It was their attitude that started the ball rolling. Tim just finished the deal.
Yeah, meet fire with fire is fair game.
It's just to me, shutting down a job is the nuclear bomb; the thought of it gives me the willies and I don't see it helping the owner. Meet fire with fire, OK, but just writing them up no c/o if they don't fix it and then leaving gets the same result. You've also likely got several "innocent" guys working on that job who won't get paid for tomorrow if they shut it down.
Anyway, everybody is telling me loud and clear that Tim is a good guy and I'm not reading it right. I know how that is so I'll shut up and leave it alone. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
you don't know Mooney then..
I inspected with him.. very though... fair too..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Maybe next time think about getting the owner (through their archy) involved when you are so happy about shutting down a job to "protect" the owner. That's why owners pay archys to stay on a job (bank that do commercial construction financing require them most of the time anyway). You seem to be proud of ignoring them.
Ill take that one although you mention "working with them" .
First we need to back up to the start of such a building . The first thing that happens is the plans go to planning and zonnig for approval on said lot where those issues are worked out . When it gets approved there it goes to the building department for plan review. Thats me . I review the plans and communitcate with the archy. After reviewing the plans I point out things I cannot accept in my code books. And the discussion begins.
On this particular plan I "caught " that there was no ventilation along with no handicap drinking foundtain . There also was a girl/boy restroom which didnt fly either under my handicap codes. Requires one of each and that was easy as there was two.
I sent a letter saying please make these changes according to our codes for compliance.
Letter came back saying ; Restrooms will be changed and excuse the over sight.
The building has a conditioned air space in the attic and
ventilation is not required . Check the code #xxxxxxxxxxxx
Plans revision will show the additon of a double high low
drinking fountain.
A few days later I recieve an updated set of plans with these changes , plus his stamp on them. Plus a signed letter stateing that the attic will be a conditioned air space "with appropriate equipment " I guess the contractor didnt read that part .
I "approved it " . Now we have a "deal" That happens on every buiding thats built.
I inspect the building which is as said but has the wrong equipment . Fine , change the equipment to our "deal". Well we cant ya see because its too hard plus the fact that they tried to save 4500 dollars buying the inferior units for this application. Ok I say , then change the building to acomadate the units you set. No we cant do that either . To non comply with both is not an option. They stated they werent planning on doing either and broke the agreement . There was no other option to me as a code compliance officer.
Thats how it works . We had a deal and the contractor broke it . There was a stamp and my signature on it . Signed sealed and delivered with 5 sets of copies. All they had to do is read it in black and white . The contractor opted to ignore it and save 4500 dollars.
Tim
Tim, I appreciate the additional detail and I've already agreed to keep my yap shut for the stuff you feel you need to do. You've been vouched for six ways to Sunday as being a reasonable guy.
My apologies to Lou for having a hand in crapping all over his thread.
Let's get back to good BI stories. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
No probem at all.
The reason we are here is to learn and Ive been wrong many times here and been re-informed. I think it happened as recently as yesterday, lol. Its a great site with a lot of experience present on every turn of the roads of threads.
Please dont keep your yap shut as that raises discussions.
Thanks ,
Tim
Please dont keep your yap shut as that raises discussions.
uhhhh Tim.....
that does apply sometimes...
SHUTUP and fish....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
SHUTUP and fish....
Well yea , lol.
Tim
Just out of curiosity, is there any reason why a combustion air intake on the roof, insulated and ducted to the equipment, was not used? Could have done it fancy with motorized dampers that would open when the equipment was on, too.
Seems to be a pretty good solution that would not require removing insulation and cutting a bunch of holes in the eaves. Would have kept the attic conditioned space, too.
First you would need to be at a board meeting when they meet in Little Arkansas .
plus 80 is built for a vented space
plus 90 is built for non vented
A conditioned area is just that .
The answer or part of is yes you could satisfy the HVAC codes but you still would be slapped in the face on the building codes.
They tried that route and called Little Rock. I met with two state inspectors and the contractors . They drew up sketch that would work for them. Each unit had four extrusions from the roof, so a total of 12 pipes sticking out the roof and the HVAC board was good to go. But not the building code! I asked after running these 12 pipes would it still be a conditioned air space ? One inspector laughed and said hell no . In his mind there would be more air in the roof than a vent system . So since I was the building inspector and they were mechanical inspectors I would not allow it ion my building . They we not planning on conditioning the air anyway but that just confuses it .
Tim
Edited 4/16/2006 9:59 am by Mooney
So, if I understand what happened correctly....
Someone designed an attic space as conditioned space, but failed to provide roof ventilation from the soffit to the ridge. I suppose the builder also neglected a vapor barrier and ductwork in the attic space to condition it.
Someone made an equipment change from the 90 that was speced to an 80. (In my neck of the woods, a 90 means a condensing 90%+ efficient furnace with a PVC vent system and an 80 is non-condensing, 80% efficient with a Type B vent, but the word "electric" in one of the previous posts points to a heat pump....?
Maybe the HVAC guys didn't know about sealed combustion 80% equipment?
Just wondering.
"Someone designed an attic space as conditioned space, but failed to provide roof ventilation from the soffit to the ridge. I suppose the builder also neglected a vapor barrier and ductwork in the attic space to condition it."
Close , more to come .
"Someone made an equipment change from the 90 that was speced to an 80. (In my neck of the woods, a 90 means a condensing 90%+ efficient furnace with a PVC vent system and an 80 is non-condensing, 80% efficient with a Type B vent, but the word "electric" in one of the previous posts points to a heat pump....?"
Dead on , more to come lol.
"Maybe the HVAC guys didn't know about sealed combustion 80% equipment?"
Actually the HVAC contractor blew the whistle. He got there and found an 80 metal vent /gas. He thought more of his lisense than the job so he called me up for a look before he would even unload. Thats how I ended up there . There was no venting in the attic area at all. NO walk ways and no exit hole big enough for removal of the equipment . There were three units up there that were set with the truss crane before he got there . The contractor bought them himself and did not ask the HVAC contractor about it . You should be on course now .
Tim
a 90 means a condensing 90%+ efficient furnace with a PVC vent system
That was the correct equipment with a conditioned attic. Under the building codes it was the only option as it was the only exception.
Somthing like this going from foggy memory;
Any habital building shall have ventilation in the attic access with the exception of 126a see exemtion; c. [made up]
To make sure we are on board , the state HVAC state inspectors designed the units to work with four pipes exiting the attic apiece times three for a total of 12 pipes. It then would have not been considered a conditioned attic . That broke the building code .
They stood on the fact the state inspectors figured it out to work. A chamber was discussed to but not to satisfy the building code so they vented the building . So what stopped them was the building inspector which was me but with that hat on at the time . They cleared HVAC codes or would have ,...
It made a good mechanical school question.
Tim
Edited 4/16/2006 7:03 pm by Mooney
The four pipes per unit thing has me confused with the 90% equipment.
Normally (here), there is just an intake (which could be optional if outside combustion air is not wanted- a "one pipe system") and the exhaust on the average 90% furnace install.
What are the other two pipes per unit for? How are those pipes relevant to the conditioned space thing?
There was no 90 on the job there was three 80 s. That was the problem. remember ?
Make up- air takes two, exaust , One directly to the combustion chamber .
Tim
Right, but in one of the posts, 4 flues per unit was mentioned for the 90 specs. Just wondering what the other two are for. Not a big deal, though.
That woulda been my typo.
4 vents for 80 unit.
Tim
The moral of the story is do it right the first time. If Tim hadn't done what he did then it wouldn't be right. So then the contractor could put in whatever he wants and if it's too late to change it then ohh well.
What kind of system is that? It's a rule for a reason.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
>>"The moral of the story is do it right the first time. If Tim hadn't done what he did then it wouldn't be right. So then the contractor could put in whatever he wants and if it's too late to change it then ohh well.
I get what you're saying but there are lots of ways to skin a cat. Shutting down the whole job doesn't really help anyone. All he had to say is do what you want but you won't get the c/o when you're done. Let the builder and the archy's take the time to come up with a solution better than ripping out perfectly good insulation and cut holes everywhere on the spot.
I wasn't there and I don't know the guy (seems like a decent guy from his other posts). But on this one it smacks of throwing his weight around.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Yep You don't know the guy.
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
>>"Yep You don't know the guy.
Fair enough. You obviously do. I'll take your word that I'm outta line here. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
remember inspecting with you.. the pizz ant stuff some of the contractors did and then talked down to ya or told ya kiss their butts...
ya know I still haven't gottenover riding in that car of yours...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
ya know I still haven't gottenover riding in that car of yours...
Is that what finaly forced you into a life of fishing and seclusion? LOL
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!
Have Rod Will Travel....
was suppose to fish today but it's been gale force winds since about 04:00....
going back to bed seems in order...
The Mooney ride still gives me nightmares...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
We need a thread about fish inspectors now
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I did step out to harvest up a surf and turf sup....
that count...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
now you've gone and woke up my appetite
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Brown trout, squirrel, snowshoe, wax and green beans with mushrooms and bacon bits stir fried in butter and new potatoes done scalloped style in cream sauce...
homemade french vanilla ice cream under hot fudge...
all from just outside the door or the green house next door... or the cow in the other direction.. {I have a likin' fer range milk)...
I gotta work some more on the hot fudge... startin' with coco beans leaves a bit of a rough product... haven't got that one quite worked out ....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
>>Brown trout, squirrel, snowshoe, wax and green beans with mushrooms and bacon bits stir fried in butter and new potatoes done scalloped style in cream sauce...
>>homemade french vanilla ice cream under hot fudge...
You can be a cruel man sometimes . . . . I had a good dinner, but nothing like that. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
CRUEL!!!!
I eat like that most days... kinda the norm...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I eat like that most days... kinda the norm...
You just keep rubbing it in, don'tcha huh? ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
OH NO!!!....
I eat like most do... not into the osmossis process for nutrition...
harvested turkey today... could use some help.. there is quite a bit....
do ya think I outta have Elk with that or save it for tomorrow...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
>>"harvested turkey today... could use some help.. there is quite a bit....
>>"do ya think I outta have Elk with that or save it for tomorrow...
Go for both. It's easter, live it up.
We're guilty again . . . .
View Image
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
All right. In the spirit of Easter, I'll tell a good BI story. I've got a ton of bad ones but I'll give you two good ones.
I was doing a total rehab for a handicapped guy. We did a lot of internal structural stuff and a big noticeable ramp out front. You couldn't miss it.
Anyways, back in those days, I was very much a rebel and didn't think anything of doing a job like this without permits. I knew the code though and did things right. About the time I was finishing up the drywall , including tearing out bearing walls and putting in some massive flush beams, a city inspector walks up. All of a sudden, I'm not so brash and here I am face to face with the law and reality. Just like any politician, I pulled the handicapped guy card, telling the inspector that the guy has just recently been sentenced to the chair and I'm trying to fix up his house and save him money.
The inspector feels some pity and looks around at everything, including going up into the attic and inspecting the beam and hangers and declares everything okay saying "Next time, pull a permit!" as he walks off!
Story number 2:
I agreed to frame an addition for an acquaintence. The homeowner was gcing his own and had dug all the footings himself. When I got there to frame the job, I was talking to the hot MILF and telling her that the inspectors were really tough in this neighborhood. She agreed and told me that when the inspector came to check the depth of the footings, he found that they weren't deep enough by a couple of inches. As he was writing up the red tag, she start crying and telling him that they wouldn't be able to pour the footings the next day and they had all the help lined up.
The good inspector felt pity on her and jumped in and dug them himself! He then green tagged the job!
I almost fainted when I heard that. She was hot...but these guys were brutal!
blue
bet she had lots of experience with those tears!I build a handicapped ramp once that was in a seetback zone - with no permit. The guy had just got home from the hospital without his legs, I was doing him a favour to workl all weekend top get his access going, and a f*ing inspector came by to tell me to rip it out. This was the only location on that lot you could put in a ramp. The HO rolled out on the porch and told the inspector to Fukoff and I drove the last few nails and cleaned up. The town actually tried to sue toi force removal of this ramp 'till they found out how powerful the federal legislation was
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Your story and Blues are tough ones on an inspector.
You ever hear that its easiar to ask for forgiveness than it is permission?
Sometimes I just wished they would have done what you two did but I would not have walked up . But they normally come asking and theres no alternative.
OK , heres one .
Guy comes up to me and says I built over the line . Im thinking , why did you say that ? So I come out and sure enough hes over the line by 12 inches. I tell him he will have to go before planning and zonning . They may help him and they may not but its not in my job description to help him. He went to the meeting and stated his case and they told him to bring it inline . They said they could understand a couple of inches but not 12. 12 voted no out of 12. Ya never know . Personally I would not have checked it so I would not have caught it . It was only a back porch and not a house . The house I would have caught . Anyway he got whizzed and cut it off with a chain saw. It was also the back line which was a bunch better than a side line with a close neighbor . Noone would have complained with no back houses even planned. Stupid the laws are somtimes but they have to apply to everyone .
Tim
"Guy comes up to me and says I built over the line . Im thinking , why did you say that ?"in my prior life as a cpa, i was an irs agent for a time. invariably, when i met someone new at a party and they found out what i did, they told me things they were doing to cheat at taxes. i finally had to explain that i was a law enforcement officer and if they admitted a crime, i had to report it. mostly bullshirt, but it shut them up quick.
Well A hes already done it and B it just doesnt look like a decent time to bring it up?
Just struck me as odd . Of course if he didnt know it at the time , I dunno.
Of course if we all had forsight of the future , yea right .
A , he could have let me catch it
B , he let a panel of 12 vote on it .
C , the results were the worst .
But I understand he had no knowledge. I was just a little too busy to be checking back lot lines backed up to a cow pasture.
Tim
We're guilty again . . . . of what?????Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
hijaclking an inspetor thread to a feedbag thread
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
same ain't it...
Tim and I ate a lot in our travels ... he said it was part of the job...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
the squirrel was a bonus.. it stop in to check things out while I was dressing out the rabbit...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
but
you ain't got a patch of coffee planted yet
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
enough on had to last any 6 of us or 5 more of me till the end of the year without even thinking about it..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
yeah...
keep lookin' over my shoulder expecting him to show up with that car and give me the willies all over again...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm Sure you were a real A44 Ho7e about it too.
By the way, If you are BI Dont respond just read. We dont need to fight with you guys here Too.
-LMC
Well from the latter post;
"I'd hunt that sob down and blow him a new A-H@le.
These guys get me all vamped up!!!!!!!!!!"
To the one to me ;
From:
loucarabasi <!----><!---->
2:53 am
To:
Mooney <!----><!---->
I'm Sure you were a real A44 Ho7e about it too.
By the way, If you are BI Dont respond just read. We dont need to fight with you guys here Too.
Ill tell you that you have a lot to learn being on a forum and a lot of other things too. You have displayed your talents quite well in just two short posts.
Tim
Love you too
-LMC
I've got 2- a good and a bad. Actually, I've got more, but I'll start with these.
Good- When I first started, I worked for my dad. We did a lot of work in the town where we lived, and where our family has been for generations.
When the BI would come out to look at our jobs, he'd barely look at the work. He'd more than likely stand around and talk to us for 30-40-50 minutes. We'd just want him to go away so we could get back to work, but figured it wouldn't be politic to throw him off the job. He was a nice guy, but boy could he talk.
Bad- When I was putting an addition on my house, I had to take a day off to wait for the plumbing inspector for the rough inspection. I waited all day, until about 3:30 or 4 when I called the office, asking if I was getting the inspection today.
The secretary said wait a minute, the plumbing inspector is right there, and she'd ask him. She came back and told me the inspector said he was at my house, but no one was home. I told her that I never left the house the entire day, and that he definitely didn't show up.
She told me again to hold, and when she came back , said the PI would be there first thing tomorrow. No explanation about why he didn't show up when he said he would.
But he was at my house first thing in the AM, and passed everything.
This is on the line of a good building inspector experience.
Well mine was a self inflicted run-in with the building inspector in SoCAL and she was real pleasant on the eyes.
I had been sub leasing space from a guy and he closed up his shop and moved. This is the about the time that I had decided that I wanted to go to work for someone else . It didn't work out. That's a whole 'nother story.
A old contractor called me and said that a job that I had previously bid on and that he/I thought was dead in the water was starting and I needed to be on board in around 5-8 weeks and I didin't have a shop. It was a $200k+ cabinet job in a 2800sqft home
I went to the 2 local cities and they one wanted a $25k external dust collection system and the other couldn't make up their mind if the would let me be in a building that was zoned for my type of work becuase there was a iron worker next door.
Building dept said plan check was running 10 weeks with no kick outs for corrections. I said screw this, called a friend and he started excavating for the footing on a 1300 sqft shop. 2 1/2 weeks later, I had machinery running.
Five years later. I needed more space for a larger job. Decided to add on 650 sqft . Started on a Tues. Finished on the Sun. Inspector showed up on Mon wanted to know where the permit was. Told her there was was not one for the whole build. She stood there and looked at me.
The building dept made me have it engineered "as built" and I had to bring it up to the new codes which meant new eathquake hold downs and some larger lumber sizing for the rafters. The engineering, draftinging, plan check, and dragging my feet took a year(was no longer in a hurry). The whole cost was around $4000. The fine was $56.00.
The best thing is that I didn't pay property taxes on it for the 5-6 years
The following week that the building was finaled, I called for a footing inspection on a remodel on our home. This time I was going to do it right way. I think I used my only "Get Out of Jail Free Card" with the building dept.
It's interesting. As pros y'all seem to be saying that a 'good' BI experience is mainly one where they don't do their jobs. I'm not saying that the BI should nit-pick a job to death but they should actually check that the jobs been done to code and to the plans.
I'm sure every pro here does that automatically but there are a lot of shady types making all kinds of short cuts in this business also.
Case-in-point: The crooked SOB flip-artist we bought our house from knew that the BI he was getting was this immensely fat guy. This guy didn't like to climb stairs or ladders to check things out, so he didn't and nothing the BI couldn't see from standing on the ground got done correctly.Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
It's threads like this why I am very careful not to give my real name on this board. ;-)
Inspectors are actually pretty good guys here. Here's how we get things done in my town:
http://www.contractormag.com/articles/newsarticle.cfm?newsid=22
(article about indictments of the plumbing inspectors for taking bribes and extorting for at least the past 20 years). Not to leave out the sparky inspectors, they had their turn a while further back -- I just can't find the article. Lots of firings and jail.
Don't have a good inspector story, they actually are pretty good.
Have a building dept. story though. Did a kitchen remo that morphed into an addition and didn't get permits. Nobody could see what was going on with the building except a few neighbors in the back (all rowhomes). Sombody dimed me out and to make a long story short, I actually had a process server serve me on site with a summons (I think it cost the city about $85 to have me personally served).
I called the staff attorney in charge of the case and told him direct, you got me dead bang, lets resolve this and move on. With all the seriousness of everything, I was expecting a fine in the thousands and had that feeling of dread all morning. He said "go downstairs to the cashier, pay the fine and bring me back a receipt, get your permit through the normal channels and we're square." Great, I think, I can put it behind me.
I go down to the cashier with the slip the staff attorney gave me and pull out my checkbook. "How much ma'am," I ask. Well sir, that will be $25. I think that turned into a particularly good day.
One day I'll tell the funny story about actually getting that permit, but anyway, I got the violation taken care of for the grand total of $25.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Sure, I have a couple.
One was a part-timer in a small town in CO. He had sopenbt his life in the trades and was currently fulltime employed at the mill in town.
My very first addition he did a thorough check of th eopkans i had drawn before granting the permit - asked a lot of questions. During the job his signature kept apearing on the paper when I was not around.
Next addition I did, he walked in for the frame inspection, and aslked "where's the permit card to sign? and was on his way out. I asked, :"don't you want to see this or that?
He said " Paul, I already know everything I need to know about how you do your work. All that's left is signing that card on time."
He based his judgements and interpretations more on what he knew of the integrity of the builder. There were oithers in town who could expect a three hour grilling.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
That's a good story. Pride in your work and knowing what you're doing pays off.
I have one kinda in that vein to trot out. Was doing an addition (the same one from my earlier story) and since we had already started without permits, the frame was pretty well done but still not done when the inspector came to look at the foundation. He looked at the foundation, looked at the frame and said "where's your permit so I can sign off on the inspections." I told him the frame wasn't done yet. He said, "what, you're going to add a few more sticks and then I have to come back; let me sign it for you" Everything went pretty smooth from there.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Had an electrical inspector in DC, by the name of Mukar (I don't know if the spelling is right). He failed a rough wiring inspection on one of my jobs, a whole house gut and remodel, for not having the romex stapled to the stud within 8" of the device box.........it was 8 1/4".
This was the only thing in THE WHOLE JOB. I asked if I could quick bang in another one closer to the box, but he declared the job failed, left me my red sticker and went away. Said he couldn't get back for a re-inspect for 2 weeks. A complete a-hole.
He was later fired by the city for running an electrical business on the side......and inspecting his own work. Guess that's the reason he couldn't get back to me for two weeks.
He effed me over on at least 3 or 4 other jobs. Never could figure out why, since I never did anything but bow & scrape whenever he showed up. Kind of guy ya want to clobber and bury in a footing trench!
I'd hunt that sob down and blow him a new A-H@le.
These guys get me all vamped up!!!!!!!!!!
LMC
I don't think there are good building inspectors.
Inspector here has a nickname 'little hitler'.Total out of control situation in a small town.
Would knock on a door and start yelling at women that answered.(my cousin)
Got so bad the city instructed him to go to sensitivity classes.
I saw in a short paragraph in the local newspaper where he was apparently out in a rural area snooping around someone's house. A dog went and bit him in the azz and he had to go to the ER.
heh heh. Good dog, Rover.
'Nemo me impune lacesset'No one will provoke me with impunity
I have a ton of BI stories but most of the run along the same lines as the ones here. Too bad that the ones we remember are the real bad ones because I have to say that I actually am relieved to have a good inspector work along with me to get it right and 'git'rdone'.
Most of my experiences are good with the BI. It's the red tape of the building dept's that drives me nuts. There is a woman in charge of our local dept here who is a real power hungry b!tch, she loves to pizz people off, and she's damned good at it. Even when you have all the paperwork in, stamped, signed, sealed and delivered, she will invent some way to reject you. Her approach to everything is negative and instead of working with you she does the opposite. Whenever I was in there she was always fighting with someone, and she absolutely hated my sardonic sense of humor I alway used on her with the sunniest of smiles. Lately however there has been a friendlier air over there. I think she wizzed off the wrong people and they may have called upon some reptilian law firm to send a "letter of understanding" to the dept. Either that or the Scarlotta brothers paid a visit from Jersey.
OK - here is a good guy BI story - HVAC inspector again (different one - obviously).
Right now I'm in the finish out stages of an apartment complex. Six very similar buildings. HVAC inspector comes out to look at the first building. Passes it with a significant punch list - maybe 5 items, which he says applies to all buildings. Rechecks building #1 when he comes out to do building #2. He is truely a good guy even though he almost always has something he wants fixed/changed. He can always spare 5 miinutes while I (or the HVAC sub) fire caulks a hole or levels a unit or whatever. Maybe part of it that he knows the HVAC sub and he knows me and that I do what I say I will (or he says I will) :-)
My very first project (as a DIYer) was to build a walk in closet. I had no idea what I was doing, and pulled a building and electrical permit with the township. They do the building inspection themselves, but for electricial you have to hire someone out. They had a list of maybe 15 guys, one of which lived nearby, so I used him.
He came, did the rough inspection and everything was OK. He gave me lots of advice on how to properly wire since I really had no idea at that point. Real nice guy, used to be an electrician, had lots of experience, but retired and become an inspector because of bad knees.
It took me 4 more months to finish my closet - 8 whole sheets of DW and as I said, I had no idea what I was doing at that time.
I called him back for Final, and wife tells me he died 2 months ago. Well, walls were closed up and how was I going to get final inspection? She said there were 2 or 3 others in my situation and she was going to send me a signed inspection sticker to show the BI. Nice lady, but I was sorry to have to bother her in her sorrow.
Does anyone have any good building inspector stories and would like to share them? Lets try to keep it clean guys!
-Lou
About 20 some years ago I got a call from a business within a week of opening that was at a standoff with the BI over the "out of town electrician", so I was to put a face on that.
Over the weekend my wife said, "look the zoning sent this notice your electrical license has expired but I paid and have the license and receipt", so I took it with me.
After a couple of days the BI came on the job and with a lot of ceremony said he was shutting the job down. All the tradesmen were gathering around and he was in the center pontificating.
I was "very busy" installing outlets, listening. He told the owner there still wasn't a licensed electrian on the job. The owner said, "there's XXX"! "No, his license has expired".
Well, I ignored it all like a deaf adder, then went over and ask to have the problem all repeated start to finish. I said, "What? I have the license and receipt in the truck".
"If you check it you will see it has expired", he replied confidently.
I produced the license and receipt. He radioed in the number. The secretary came on kinda sheepishly, "valid". He melted, and his secretary was very accomodating for quite a while.
Fz
I guess every inspector to some degree picks his battles cause he can ignore them.
I would card everyone on the job and that was a change from the previous inspector.
That seemed to be good and bad . Of course all I heard was the bad. Most all the guys in business were lisensed but oops there help was not current sometimes. I told them this ; You can rest assured that no unlisensed electricians are cutting your throat on my watch.
Politically it would have been better if I would have never carded anyone then everyone could have worked . But the lisensed electricians would have been screaming louder .
As I always say , it depends on which side of the football your on when its snapped.
Tim
As I always say , it depends on which side of the football your on when its snapped.Tim
Tim,That's true, and I don't envy the job of BI. This was just a story that happened and there's more to it that can't be mentioned. We have gotten along with building inspectors great practically all the time. In fact, we put an addition on one retired BI's house. I didn't mean to "put down" the office of BI. Sorry if I did.Fz
I didn't mean to "put down" the office of BI. Sorry if I did.
Judging from the stories Im not sure they dont need some criticizing .
Any way I got all I wanted of it . I thought it was a good alternative while I was disabled. But it wasnt that good .
Tim
Years ago I wanted to buy my first house and renovate. Wanted to remodel with an apt. for income. My father was out visiting so we took a trip down to the city offices to ask about duplex rules, zoning etc.
I told them, "I want to buy a house and put an apt in it. What do I need to know?"
Nice lady behind the counter gave me a form from the kiosk explaining "Accessory dwelling units" and the criteria required:
Must share same roof, same or separate electrical meter ok, 1700 sq ft min for dwelling and unit, 3 offstreet parking spaces... etc.
I took my form and went and bought a house. Ratbag place with 2 baths far enough apart and a utility room to convert to kitchen. Then also a garage to tie into that was almost bigger than the house!
Once I got the place, I drew up a plan and brought it down to pull a permit and do it all by the books and legal.
I showed the plan to the building official. He said, "You can't do this, this is a duplex!" "You need fire separation, sound attenuation, etc. etc. etc...."
What@!?(&(*&^
I said, "No, it's an 'accesory unit............'
He says, "What's that?..........."
By this point I'm feeling a little peaked.. I pulled out the info form the nice lady had given me 6 months ago from the kiosk.. now 20 feet to my right."
Building official says, "Wow, where'd you get this? THis is really misleading!"
Sputtering and spitting I said, "RIGHT THERE" and walked over and got another form for the guy...
Long story short, my plan was approved, with a LOT of changes to 'duplex rules' and the 'accessory unit' form was pulled from the kiosk.
What a mess it was.
Pat
I understand what happened .
It was misleading to be called an accessory building . It is not one . Its a duplex.
Sometimes duplexes are not allowed in single family districts and Im sure that wasnt addressed.
Becuse it was misinformative they let you do it cause they dont like defending law suits they will lose.
Bet they changed t .
Sometimes the office girls writing permits like to give building advice.
Sorta like a secretary giving legal advice in a lawyers office. Or a nurse. Nurses know enough not to do it .
Tim
I kept the "single family accessory dwelling unit" info flyer stapled to the garage wall just for prosperity.
It was a case of land use acting on code updates to increase density, without considering the building code implications in apts. and 'granny shack' type dwelling units.
They pulled the form immediately, that's for sure, but I kept mine on hand for the inspectors (all of whom were really great actually--here in Eugene Oregon) who wanted to know what this "accessory" designation was.
Basically it was, and is, a duplex where the owner is required to occupy one portion of the property, and quite a few of the duplex rules did not apply. For example, penetrations in the wall separating the units were allowed, but firestopping in the attic spaces was required, etc... Basically they made a &^%load of special notes on my plan so that I could complete my remodel.
One thing they forgot about til the last minute was SDC's. I was really happy to cough up another 3 grand toward the end of it... And in reality there were FEWER residents in 2 1 br apartments than had there been a big ol' family in the previous dwelling as it was.
Pat
15 to 20 years ago was this Chinese Inspector in San Pedro who was very knowledgeable, helpful, warned contractors of code changes, told them when he would be on site, knew what the easy way was and answered all question. The head of the fisherman's union surprised him with a frozen tuna thrown in the back of his pickup. A local Italian contractor with Mafia connections told him "If anyone give you a hard time, just let me know".
They inspect the Chinese in San Pedro?
:-P
http://jhausch.blogspot.comAdventures in Home BuildingAn online journal covering the preparation and construction of our new home.
Do plumbing inspectors count? I had called one years ago to inspect two commercial buildings that where on a dead end street two blocks from where the plumb. dept was building a new seven story building, he refused to give me an inspection because there wasn't an address in front of the site; it took a week to get my inspection,duh. I would have to say that there are more good inspectors than A-holes.