On Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:14:57 GMT, (Pinstripe
Sniper) wrote:

Geez! So I see that my town requires a building permit to replace a
water heater in a non-rental residential property (owner occupied)

Does your government entity require this as well?

Sounds kind of commie to me. Geez, what if I replace my stove or get
a new gas clothes dryer? I guess this must be so because of
earthquake straps becoming a requirement in more locations?

Oh yeah, there's also a law here that vision prescriptions older than
2 years cannot be filled by local opticians.

PsS


One of my pet peeves.

One of my favorites is getting kicked off a job site cause the pool I
was tiling wasn't grounded (bonded) to the equipment. The poor thing
has crisscrossed rebar, concrete a foot thick, and 15' deep in the
ground. I wasn't going to argue with the idiot cause I know they hold
a grudge against the pool company for years, which to me is grounds
for the stripping of all licenses and banished from town. But, I lost
at least a half a days work and gas $, cause the authority didn't know
what ground means.

There was one inspector that held grudges and cost many companies
unwarranted expenditures cause of unprofessionalism. There was a
picture around town that some excavator made of a huge deep hole out
in the desert with this persons name on the grave marker.

I worked for 20 years without a contractors licence and witnessed many
contractors completely screwing up jobs mostly from hiring completely
green workers and paying them nothing and keeping the rest for
themselves.

The house I just built, I had to pay for the legalized extortion and
get scrutinized and nit picked. Like the wires in the main box where
long enough to rearrange breakers, but had to be cut short cause they
would generate too much heat in the box and burn the house down !
I also had to use certified bribery paid trusses and the stickers
better be on them or else. I would have used 2X6's & 2X4's with
plywood glued and screwed, but got 2X4's & 2x2's with pressed tin that
almost came apart while craning them in. Over all the inspector wasn't
as bad as I'm used to and let something's slide, like when he approved
the occupancy permit I had lived here for a year and a half.
I even slipped after he signed and handed it to me, that "So, it's ok
that I can move in now, eh?" What was I suppose to do, live in a
cardboard box until the house was certified safe?

Dickman , had some good points, but still it is getting worse. Like I
hear rumors about companies around here testing the employees to see
if they smoke cigarettes at home, what's next? Twinky tests and
getting fired even though your skinny? Or, have to be certified to buy
a lathe to use at home? Wonder WHO is going to approve me on my 18th
century machines?

SW

On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:09:29 -0600, Sunworshipper SW@GWNTUNDRA
wrote:

The house I just built, I had to pay for the legalized extortion and
get scrutinized and nit picked.

I've seen a few really bad jobs around here and they where done by
city licensed contractors. The thing is if you hire one of the BIG
Name guys the inspector will showup, put his sticker on, and leave
WITHOUT looking at anything! So they can cut corners all they want.
If you do your own work they will be there for an hour or more.

My friend wired his house, inspector made him open boxes, pull out the
devices, and even go get the crimping tool he used on the ground
barrels. and this was the final inspection after all the rough in was
allready checked.

Hire the guy that made a big political contribution and you might get
really crappy work done, but it will pass inspection with no questions
asked.

Thank You,
Randy

Remove 333 from email address to reply.

On 1/26/2011 10:39 AM, Randy wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:09:29 -0600, SunworshipperSW@GWNTUNDRA
wrote:

The house I just built, I had to pay for the legalized extortion and
get scrutinized and nit picked.

I've seen a few really bad jobs around here and they where done by
city licensed contractors. The thing is if you hire one of the BIG
Name guys the inspector will showup, put his sticker on, and leave
WITHOUT looking at anything! So they can cut corners all they want.
If you do your own work they will be there for an hour or more.

My friend wired his house, inspector made him open boxes, pull out the
devices, and even go get the crimping tool he used on the ground
barrels. and this was the final inspection after all the rough in was
allready checked.

Hire the guy that made a big political contribution and you might get
really crappy work done, but it will pass inspection with no questions
asked.

Thank You,
Randy

Remove 333 from email address to reply.

your experience is different from mine - replumbed my house with copper,
called inspector who talked to me for a few minutes, looked at a few
places where the new pipe was visible and signed off, telling me "I can
see that you know what you are doing, we worry about homeowners who
don't know what they are doing and make dangerous mistakes, and
contractors who cut corners and make dangerous decisions. We don't
worry about people like you who know what you are doing because you will
be living in that house".

Maybe attitude, or locale ?

--
www.wbnoble.com

Bill Noble wrote:

your experience is different from mine - replumbed my house with copper,
called inspector who talked to me for a few minutes, looked at a few
places where the new pipe was visible and signed off, telling me "I can
see that you know what you are doing, we worry about homeowners who
don't know what they are doing and make dangerous mistakes, and
contractors who cut corners and make dangerous decisions. We don't
worry about people like you who know what you are doing because you will
be living in that house".

Maybe attitude, or locale ?

I know by experience that a good attitude begets good stuff, but I can't
speak at "locale," because of the different politics and stuff that would
be involved.

And it certainly depends a lot on how much of an asshole the local authority
is. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

19th century, can't count.


SW

"Bill Noble" wrote in message
...
On 1/26/2011 10:39 AM, Randy wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:09:29 -0600, SunworshipperSW@GWNTUNDRA
wrote:

The house I just built, I had to pay for the legalized extortion and
get scrutinized and nit picked.

I've seen a few really bad jobs around here and they where done by
city licensed contractors. The thing is if you hire one of the BIG
Name guys the inspector will showup, put his sticker on, and leave
WITHOUT looking at anything! So they can cut corners all they want.
If you do your own work they will be there for an hour or more.

My friend wired his house, inspector made him open boxes, pull out the
devices, and even go get the crimping tool he used on the ground
barrels. and this was the final inspection after all the rough in was
allready checked.

Hire the guy that made a big political contribution and you might get
really crappy work done, but it will pass inspection with no questions
asked.

Thank You,
Randy

Remove 333 from email address to reply.

your experience is different from mine - replumbed my house with copper,
called inspector who talked to me for a few minutes, looked at a few
places where the new pipe was visible and signed off, telling me "I can
see that you know what you are doing, we worry about homeowners who don't
know what they are doing and make dangerous mistakes, and contractors who
cut corners and make dangerous decisions. We don't worry about people
like you who know what you are doing because you will be living in that
house".

Maybe attitude, or locale ?


No, IMHO, and from building 5 houses, I think you had a very rare
experience. You got a good inspector.

We built a casita for my MIL in our small burg of 900 people. The inspector
for the county lived here. He knew every contractor, so it was a
breezethrough. But, the electrical was done by my friend, a union
electrician from Las Vegas. We asked if it had to be done by a licensed
Utard, but he said that I was the owner/contractor, and so long as the work
was acceptable that it would be fine. He did make comments on the
electrical of, "Very nice work." It is always nice to find a reasonable
human being.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Learn how to care for a friend.
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

"Sunworshipper" SW@GWNTUNDRA wrote in message
...
19th century, can't count.


SW

I was wondering about that. You're not that guy from The Green Mile, are
you?

;-)

Steve

On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 02:15:02 -0800, Rich Grise
wrote:

Bill Noble wrote:

your experience is different from mine - replumbed my house with copper,
called inspector who talked to me for a few minutes, looked at a few
places where the new pipe was visible and signed off, telling me "I can
see that you know what you are doing, we worry about homeowners who
don't know what they are doing and make dangerous mistakes, and
contractors who cut corners and make dangerous decisions. We don't
worry about people like you who know what you are doing because you will
be living in that house".

Maybe attitude, or locale ?

I know by experience that a good attitude begets good stuff, but I can't
speak at "locale," because of the different politics and stuff that would
be involved.

And it certainly depends a lot on how much of an asshole the local authority
is. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich
Forty + years ago, the local building inspector came by as I was
hanging the meter box on a house that a builder friend was building to
sell. He (inspector) pointed out that I didn't have a city business
licence and that if I showed up in his office next day with $25.00 we
could set things straight. In the meantime, the electrical inspector
(who was fully aware of my capabilities and lack of official trade
certification) came to the sight to issue his final inspection
certificate, followed closely by the PUC crew install the meter and
turn on the electricity.
Next day, at the appointed time I visited the building inspection
office and filled out the required forms. On reviewing the paperwork
Mister Inspector asked for my ticket number. When informed that I
didn't have one he dented the concrete ceiling but, since the service
had been approved and connected, the only thing he could do was tell
me not to wire any more houses in his jurisdiction. The next house we
built was in the neighbouring town.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Gerald Miller wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 02:15:02 -0800, Rich Grise
wrote:

Bill Noble wrote:

your experience is different from mine - replumbed my house with copper,
called inspector who talked to me for a few minutes, looked at a few
places where the new pipe was visible and signed off, telling me "I can
see that you know what you are doing, we worry about homeowners who
don't know what they are doing and make dangerous mistakes, and
contractors who cut corners and make dangerous decisions. We don't
worry about people like you who know what you are doing because you will
be living in that house".

Maybe attitude, or locale ?

I know by experience that a good attitude begets good stuff, but I can't
speak at "locale," because of the different politics and stuff that would
be involved.

And it certainly depends a lot on how much of an asshole the local authority
is. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich
Forty + years ago, the local building inspector came by as I was
hanging the meter box on a house that a builder friend was building to
sell. He (inspector) pointed out that I didn't have a city business
licence and that if I showed up in his office next day with $25.00 we
could set things straight. In the meantime, the electrical inspector
(who was fully aware of my capabilities and lack of official trade
certification) came to the sight to issue his final inspection
certificate, followed closely by the PUC crew install the meter and
turn on the electricity.
Next day, at the appointed time I visited the building inspection
office and filled out the required forms. On reviewing the paperwork
Mister Inspector asked for my ticket number. When informed that I
didn't have one he dented the concrete ceiling but, since the service
had been approved and connected, the only thing he could do was tell
me not to wire any more houses in his jurisdiction. The next house we
built was in the neighbouring town.


I replaced the four fuse boxes in my dad's house with a breaker box.
CG&E's policy was that only a couple contractors could have a meter
pulled & replaced the same day. Home owners and all other contractors
had to wait a minimum of three days for the meter to be reinstalled, so
I swapped the main box hot. I had to have it inspected when i finished.
The inspector took one look and said, I can tell you one thing! No
electrician in this county did this job. Then he grinned and said, This
is the cleanest install I've ever seen.

A few years later I was helping a friend replace a damaged service
cable. He had to have a permit, and the electric company required the
meter box to be replaced. I went with him to answer any questions, and
told them I did industrial electrical work, and that I was teaching him
to do his own repairs. The inspector winked and said "Teach him good!"
as he handed me the permit.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:09:29 -0600, Sunworshipper SW@GWNTUNDRA
wrote:
My eldest son and I are building a new house with a separate
"grand-dad apartment" for me.

We have had nothing but bloody minded obstruction from the local
council.

First, we needed to remove 2 trees which were just outside the
building envelope, in which we can remove anything. The largest, 2
metres+ in diameter, was leaning at about a 15 - 20 degree angle, with
all branches over where we planned to build the shed/workshop. The
soil opposite the lean had been lifted 450mm higher than normal ground
level. Solid rock one metre down. The other was leaning at a
similar angle and would have been about a metre from one corner of the
house. Both trees were dangerous.

The council environmental idiot refused permission to remove them
on the grounds that the largest was a nesting place for black tailed
cockatoos. Crap ! We and our neighbours have not seen any btc
around here. Actually the one visible nest was a crows. Next he
claimed the trees were not dangerous but when questioned he admitted
that he had no qualifications to determine that. ( long pony tailed
hippie type, arts degree in crochet?) We said that if permission was
not granted then the council would be liable for any damage caused by
the trees. He backed down then but still took a month to send
written confirmation.

Then we could build the shed to store furniture while the house was
being built and I sold my house to pay for it.

The builder sent the plans in for approval in mid August,
aparrently in early October some creep decided that they needed a
rider on the title deeds to the effect that the apartment could not be
leased to a non family person. We were informed early December after
the builder asked why the plans were not yet approved. The councils
lawyers would alter the title, cost $600, and we finally received
approval just before Christmas. Building workers usually take annual
leave this time of year to avoid heat (43C today at 10am in the
shed). We have been told that site clearing should begin next
week.

We may move in at the end of July if we are lucky.

Alan