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Besides the fleecing of unknowing owners by unscrupulous contractors I’ve got another burr under my saddle.
Just found out today that CA has a new policy regarding the permitting process for reroofing. Before pulling a permit with the county or city, I’ve got to notify the fire chief/marshall. Why? Because he’ll want to know–read approve–of the materials going into the new roof.
Seems to me this would be something taken care of between the state and the materials mfg. It would be as simple as the state compiling a list of approved materials. Why is the burden placed on the contractor or owner?
Of course, it is just another hand in your pocket. This law is so brand new that most contractors, or even the local fire dept. don’t yet know.
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Hi Rich,
Isn't fun when there's a new rule on the books that no one in the field has been educated on it.
Nothing like working in a small town with a local fire chief, who doesn't understand why he has to look at your shingles and doesn't even know what he's supposed to be looking at and therefore can't approve until he has the time to take a course. (maybe next month)
Got so many hands in my pockets I can't sit down and they've been picked so clean, I can only afford the bug in bug spray.
Gabe
*Golly, a dumb law in California? Hard to believe. (I grew up there.)I remember people (or more likely manufacturers) fought banning wood shake roofs in So. Cal. for years after the big brush fires I grew up breathing. I think they finally did? But why the heck have this new rule? Who pushed for it, some bored agency? Call your local assemblyperson, really they may be able to help you out. Nothing like delivering for the constituents.
*I don't question the existence of stupid laws, however, the stupidity often stems from misinterpretation. To require that the fire marshal/chief approve plans is stupid. Cities often provide fire protection, however, with property tax restriction in Calif. unincorporated areas are often broken up into multiple fire districts, which provide services only in as much as the residents have elected to pay for them. The areas of least population density often have only volunteer fire departments if any. These would be the areas most in need of enforcement of roofing standards. Fire districts when they exist are allowed to set their own standards. Usually these do not involve building construction, but other issues. In my experience these involve drive way widths, turn arounds, prohibition of double cylinder locks on exits, etc. The involvement of fire departments in the building permit process is nothing new, but it seldom affects construction of single family homes. The Uniform Fire Code is a companion to the UBC, and its enforcement is left to fire departments, whose approval is often required on commercial work. I once did a TI job that included a shop -- like a wood shop but for plastics. In the permit process I truthfully admitted that dust would be produced. The plan checker rightfully pointed out that the the UBC required explosion venting. Explosion venting was regulated by the UFC. The fire department with some surprise determined that for the volume of dust that would be produced the amount of explosion venting that was required was zero. They signed my plans, sent me on my way, and promised that they would seek a clarification from the code authority. What supprised me was not that the codes were ambiguous and confusing, but that in San Diego, now the sixth largest city in the country, I seemed to have been the first person to admit that dust was being produced.