12-16-2017, 03:00 AM
Building codes come in two varieties. Sensible and political.
Sensible codes are the ones that create a sound and safe building.
Political codes are the ones written by municipalities to restrict building or make money for the municipality.
When volunteering for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, I got to know the local building codes office and inspectors quite well. First, competent codes inspectors must have a wide knowledge of building practices and the codes themselves. Not an easy education to get without practical experience. If a person is a competent builder, they will usually make more money than an inspector. It is kind of like becoming a welder by just reading about the process and starting.
We used to get the newby inspectors. For two reasons. One, our builds usually took months. And two, we complied with the codes and inspections.
One young fella failed a job I was supervising because there were too many wall studs. The job was rehabbing a 100 year old building(that was donated). By taking the demolition to the studs meant the entire build had to meet current codes(not necessary if studs were not exposed). To save time(and since materials were donated) I had my crews start in opposite corners and make sure the studs were 16" OC. That meant there were sometimes studs sandwiched or only inches apart.
The inspector said the studs had to be 16"OC, nothing more. I explained the code was MINIMUM standard to no avail. I accepted the fail and we shut down(the crew was for half a day only and it was almost noon). A phone call to his boss fixed the situation.
I had inspectors who knew less than I did about the job I was doing. I researched many jobs before doing them simply because I could not know the entire code and it just made sense to me. I had inspectors gig me because they just could not let a 'handyman' pass on the first shot. One told me I had stripped 1/4" too much insulation off the service wiring into the breaker panel(home owners permit---anyone could do the work as long as the job passed inspection)---was just hooking the service in a mobile home. I cut 1/4" off the ends of the wires and passed.
Another was so impressed I installed a header when installing a gable end window in a garage, he never checked much of what I did. He even issued an occupancy certificate before I strapped the house to the foundation. The house came as two pieces and could not be installed on foundation studs, strapped instead. (I installed more straps than the minimum just because that is what I do---over build sometimes).
I read about wars between codes offices and the folks they serve---and that is how the system is SUPPOSED to work----and marvel at how governments evolved a system to protect their citizens and it morphed into a whip snapping, go to jail if deviated dictatorship in some cases.
Sensible codes are the ones that create a sound and safe building.
Political codes are the ones written by municipalities to restrict building or make money for the municipality.
When volunteering for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, I got to know the local building codes office and inspectors quite well. First, competent codes inspectors must have a wide knowledge of building practices and the codes themselves. Not an easy education to get without practical experience. If a person is a competent builder, they will usually make more money than an inspector. It is kind of like becoming a welder by just reading about the process and starting.
We used to get the newby inspectors. For two reasons. One, our builds usually took months. And two, we complied with the codes and inspections.
One young fella failed a job I was supervising because there were too many wall studs. The job was rehabbing a 100 year old building(that was donated). By taking the demolition to the studs meant the entire build had to meet current codes(not necessary if studs were not exposed). To save time(and since materials were donated) I had my crews start in opposite corners and make sure the studs were 16" OC. That meant there were sometimes studs sandwiched or only inches apart.
The inspector said the studs had to be 16"OC, nothing more. I explained the code was MINIMUM standard to no avail. I accepted the fail and we shut down(the crew was for half a day only and it was almost noon). A phone call to his boss fixed the situation.
I had inspectors who knew less than I did about the job I was doing. I researched many jobs before doing them simply because I could not know the entire code and it just made sense to me. I had inspectors gig me because they just could not let a 'handyman' pass on the first shot. One told me I had stripped 1/4" too much insulation off the service wiring into the breaker panel(home owners permit---anyone could do the work as long as the job passed inspection)---was just hooking the service in a mobile home. I cut 1/4" off the ends of the wires and passed.
Another was so impressed I installed a header when installing a gable end window in a garage, he never checked much of what I did. He even issued an occupancy certificate before I strapped the house to the foundation. The house came as two pieces and could not be installed on foundation studs, strapped instead. (I installed more straps than the minimum just because that is what I do---over build sometimes).
I read about wars between codes offices and the folks they serve---and that is how the system is SUPPOSED to work----and marvel at how governments evolved a system to protect their citizens and it morphed into a whip snapping, go to jail if deviated dictatorship in some cases.
What you need to do is Threaten to sue over his/hers qualifications, qualifications of the board and also state than you will be seeking judgement for time lost, and expenses incurred, and injury fees.
