Inspectors...what the heck?

[jaylectricity]

I don't do a lot of work in my own town but I got a job from a local customer. "Inspector" office hours are 7am-8:30am. So I call at about 7:50 to ask for a final inspection. I get in a gruff stupid annoying voice, "Call back tomorrow at 7 am!"

Do these people realize that I'm the one getting money from the customer to pay these guys's mortgages? Why are inspectors so rude and why do they act so entitled, as if they're king of the land?

I wanted to tell the guy, "I don't wake up before 7:30, sorry but I can't give you any more money unless you'll cater to my needs."

 

[jusme123]

...sounds like a situation a town supervisor could and should solve, but the guy could have been having a bad day, we all have them.

 

[augie47]

One of the g'ment agencies I once worked for had a policy to never perform an inspection on the same day of the request because, to the superiors, it gave the appearance were just waiting on the call and they wanted to make sure folks knew "we were so covered up we needed at least a day"

 

[growler]

"Inspector" office hours are 7am-8:30am. So I call at about 7:50 to ask for a final inspection. I get in a gruff stupid annoying voice, "Call back tomorrow at 7 am!"

Hangover.....If you had been there he probably would have smelled bad to.

 

[GoldDigger]

I don't do a lot of work in my own town but I got a job from a local customer. "Inspector" office hours are 7am-8:30am. So I call at about 7:50 to ask for a final inspection. I get in a gruff stupid annoying voice, "Call back tomorrow at 7 am!"

Did you call on a Monday?

 

[Sierrasparky]

Sounds like he has a chip

 

[mgookin]

I spent 15 years as an inspector, plans examiner, building official. I've seen at all levels people who should not be in public service. Seems like you found one of them.

 

[jaylectricity]

It's really not out of the ordinary. I called on a Wednesday.

Call up the town of Lexington's electrical inspector and he says in his voice mail, "If you need an inspection you must speak to me personally..."

Which is fine, but you can't even leave a message for him to call you back. So yeah, maybe he's really busy, except when you call him at the beginning of "inspector hours" he can be there half an hour after he leaves the office.

My main beef is that they act like they are above you when in reality they are below you.

 

[John120/240]

My main beef is that they act like they are above you when in reality they are below you.

An adversarial relationship with your building inspector is no way to get an acceptable inspection report. You both have a job to do. The electrician's job is to wire the building. If you know the applicable codes that is not a problem. The inspectors job is to assure compliance with the code. If the inspector has a list of shirt pocket rules take it to his boss.

 

[jaylectricity]

An adversarial relationship with your building inspector is no way to get an acceptable inspection report. You both have a job to do. The electrician's job is to wire the building. If you know the applicable codes that is not a problem. The inspectors job is to assure compliance with the code. If the inspector has a list of shirt pocket rules take it to his boss.

I agree with you. The reason I posted this thread was because of the inspectors who seem to believe that they are your superior.

They are not. They are just other guys that know about the NEC and it's a guy who has your back if you ever have a problem with the insurance company.