Why inspectors get attitudes

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mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
cowboyjwc said:
Geeezzzz:mad: .
If I was a crybaby, I'd probably make a list like that too. There is no profit in airing your personal problems. It's a job. If every day was easy or pleasurable, they might not have to pay you.
 

sandsnow

Senior Member
peter d said:
If the plans submitted call for 3/4" EMT w/ 4 #12 + ground and the contractor installs 12/4 MC instead, the inspector cannot fail the job because MC cable is still code compliant. Inspectors here are bound to enforce the NEC and local codes, and nothing else.

#12 is #12 as far as I am concerned.

I'm talking about the interrupting rating of the sw/brd, feeder conduit and wire, breaker sizes, and our favorite out here - the energy standards. And other big stuff like that.
 

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
mdshunk said:
If I was a crybaby, I'd probably make a list like that too. There is no profit in airing your personal problems. It's a job. If every day was easy or pleasurable, they might not have to pay you.

I'd still take the money if it came down to it. :)
 

sandsnow

Senior Member
iwire said:
IMO it makes more sense but it is what I am used to.

The electrical inspector watches me for code compliance.

The engineer or his representatives check for plan compliance, I would be willing to bet we are watched more closely and more often. (At least on the medium to large jobs)

How many times are you on the job?

Do you show up at any moment unannounced?

Do you take lots of pictures and sometimes video?

Can you easily hold up money going to the EC?

:)

Some engineers watch close others seem not to. depends on job.

On the job only when you call. Depends on size of job.

Unannounced very rarely. When it is, it's not for a surprise inspection. If there was a issue to settle, I'll go out with the answer.

Pictures yes for training classes, video never.

Indirectly hold up money by not signing for rough or occupancy.
 

sandsnow

Senior Member
zdog said:
my question would be are you inspecting for plans compliance or code compliance?i seen a lot of approved plans that had code vilotations on them and physical ones too.did a carwash years ago and the plans showed 12 3phase breakers in a 30 space panel.:grin:

Both. Code errors on plans require revision to correct and sent back thrrough the city.

I know this is strange to you guys, but so is the way you do it. I don't know about better or worse, just the way it is.
 

zdog

Senior Member
sandsnow said:
Both. Code errors on plans require revision to correct and sent back thrrough the city.

I know this is strange to you guys, but so is the way you do it. I don't know about better or worse, just the way it is.
i know what your saying.my question was to energise.he was answering peter ds post about useing mc instead of emt.which gave me the impression that if all wasnt as per plans he wouldnt sign it.
i work in about 6 different countys and cities that range from no plans,to plans but not inforced , to plans that the inspector comparies to whats been done.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
cowboyjwc said:
Doing the inspections on a three story senior housing project.

I show up and they're not ready.
I show up and they're not following the plans for the feeder and conduit sizes.
I show up and no one's on site.
I show up and ask, why are these walls insulated? "You didn't sign them off?"
I show up and tell them that they can't have back to back boxes on a rated wall and half your fire caulking isn't done.
I show up and they changed out some of the boxes, not all, and didn't put the sound pads back on.
I show up and ask what about these back to back boxes in the corridor, "You didn't say those".
I show up and sign off the first floor.
I show up for the second floor and they have back to back boxes, If you couldn't do it on the first floor, what makes you think that you could do it on the second floor?

Geeezzzz:mad: And yes they've already paid reinspection fees once.

Why let it upset you ? Tag it and walk out.They will learn if you charge a reinspect fee.Getting upset solves nothing.
 

dlhoule

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
I show up for the second floor and they have back to back boxes, If you couldn't do it on the first floor, what makes you think that you could do it on the second floor?

Gee I wonder if you'll see any improvement by the time you get to the 3rd floor. Keep up the good work!

I have to confess, I don't always follow the plans drawn up by the EE, but I do try to get them corrected. I am always amazed at how some of them are glad to have certain things pointed out and others get irate that you could question any of their work. Kind of similar to Inspectors and electricians.:grin: :D
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
mdshunk said:
If I was a crybaby, I'd probably make a list like that too. There is no profit in airing your personal problems. It's a job. If every day was easy or pleasurable, they might not have to pay you.

Wow Marc, when one of you guys posts a rant about not passing an inspection I don't see any of the inspectors calling him a cry baby and telling him to get over it and that he's getting paid to do it right. And by the way it's not a personal problem, I could care less if the buiding ever gets done, I get paid the same no matter what.

If every day was pleasurable I wouldn't be complaining about one job, this just happens to be the worst of the worst for this week.

I'm not big on writting correction notices and yesterday I went to 12 jobs and wrote 5 notices, sometimes I don't write 5 notices in a month. With work slowing down all over we should all have plenty of time to do our jobs right.

Just thought I would share that things are tough all over.
 

kkwong

Senior Member
John- I think you hit it on the head. I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but when an EC fails he rants and raves. Being on both sides of the fence has given me a certain advantage like anyone else.

I get frustrated when an EI cannot back up what he is writing in the NEC and conversely I get frustrated when I deal with someone who does not want to follow the correction notice just because they don't agree with the code...

Edit to add: There seems to be a double standard between EC's and EI's (or any other inspector). The failed party can rant and rave but an inspector cannot vent. I know that I am an enforcment agent and it is my job, but isn't the lead jouneyman or foreman supposed to walk the job before the inspector gets there to ensure code compliance?
 
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elohr46

Senior Member
Location
square one
kkwong said:
but isn't the lead jouneyman or foreman supposed to walk the job before the inspector gets there to ensure code compliance?

This reminds me of when I first applied for an EI job. The interveiwer said to me "you don't have any experience in electrical inspection" . I replied "who do you think did the inspection before the EI came for his inspection" ? Needless to say I wasn't hired by that company.
 

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
brian john said:
Tit for tat, I am sure electricians and contractors could match this list and probably top yours...

Inspectors:

Keeping us waiting, once for 6 days on an emergency job while the customer had no power.

Had an inspector show up early on an emergency repair then refuse to wait to the appointment time, he left. Had to contact his boss and wait for another inspector, COST ME MONEY.

Writing and enforcing their own Code.

Asking for favors (monetary and/or material).

Inspecting others work and refusing to pass our work because of work unrelated to my work.

Refusing to pass a job but can't quote any code section.

Refusing to pass a job because he did not understand how a megger works.

Telling the customer we did not know what we were doing, when he realized in a meeting he was wrong, no apology he just says WELL I HAVE ALWAYS ENFORCED IT THAT WAY.

A contractor's screw up cost you a few minutes to hours, an inspectors cost contractors money sometimes to the point of losing money on a project.


But the fact is most contractors are probalby decent folks trying to do their best as are most inspectors.

Experienced all of those, 1 more to add.

Requiring to witness a test, then show up late and not even watch the test.

Or worse yet, stand over tester and ask thing like What is that gizmo?, or Why are you wearing that? Or, whats that noise?
 

kkwong

Senior Member
elohr46 said:
This reminds me of when I first applied for an EI job. The interveiwer said to me "you don't have any experience in electrical inspection" . I replied "who do you think did the inspection before the EI came for his inspection" ? Needless to say I wasn't hired by that company.

Not the first time I have heard something like that happening. I think the problem is that a lot of EI's (including some city's electrical depts) don't recognize the walks that the lead/foreman does before he makes the call.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
brian john said:
I NEVER SAID DC >>>>>PLEASE.........

Sorry, but it does say DC Metro area on your tag. Chill dude. :grin:


Thanks Ken, that's why I suggested to George (I think) that we have an inspectors area, so then we can rant and cry.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
sandsnow said:
I know this is strange to you guys, but so is the way you do it. I don't know about better or worse, just the way it is.

That's the bottom line, things are done differently everywhere you go. :) I wouldn't consider them "strange" by any means, just different.

I prefer our system over yours, and as Bob already explained, the job specs get enforced anyway, just not by the electrical inspectors.
 

kkwong

Senior Member
cowboyjwc said:
Thanks Ken, that's why I suggested to George (I think) that we have an inspectors area, so then we can rant and cry.

I thought that's what the office or the bar afterward was for? ;) Seriously though, it would be nice to seriously vent...
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
If 99% Of the jobs pass then we might be arguing that inspectors are not needed and only add to the cost.If a cop went a month and never wrote a ticket would you ask why ?
 
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