Anyone in NY use the NYBFU?

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speedypetey

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Hudson Valley, NY
Well, there are done. Going out of business.
No more applications are being taken as of today and ALL open permits must be closed by Oct. 16 2009.

This is really sad news to those of us who use The Board exclusively.
I have only used another agency once or twice many years ago.

No mention of this on their web site, but the word is spreading fast by phone.
 
A venerated institution becomes extinct

A venerated institution becomes extinct

The NYBFU had a sponsor for Senate Bill 4461 and it looked as though there would eventually be a companion bill coming out of the Assembly in which the Board would be involved in a pilot program to be administered by the Office of Fire Prevention & Control arm of the Department of State.

I'm not sure whether our (New York state's) latest debacle with power-grabbing Senators had any effect on the timing or what, but this sure looks like another dinosaur has become extinct through no other reason than not seeing the road signs early on when NYS first began its' process of adopting international codes, requiring certification of building officials, and recognizing third-party inspection agency reports after the Town of Union vs Atlantic-Inland law suit of 1984. The Board needed an ombudsman to handle the changing times, but openly, flatly, sometimes arrogantly refused.

Will NY be better off? Not by a long shot. The Board finally had a great idea, just way too late.

I personally will be glad to see the day come when private third-party inspections are done away with if that's what it takes to stop the ability to shop for an opinion in NY. At present, if you don't like what an inspector says, get another one with a more agreeable opinion. Competition for inspection revenues is inherently wrong IMHO.

Untrained and uncertified inspectors here in northern NY routinely make up their own code provisions through a lack of understanding electricity and the electrical code. A state-wide and state-run electrical inspection department would have gone a long ways towards remedying inspection competition.
 
There is so much more to this story then has been mentioned, but it is not something to be discussed on an open forum.

As of Tuesday, the NYBFU is no longer accepting applications. (ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NOT TOLD ANYONE OFFICIALLY - THEY ARE LETTING CONTRACTORS AND BUILDING OFFICIAL FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES!!!!!!)
By early October, they will no longer be performing inspections, and the company will be dissolved.

They will not be honoring any applications more than a year old from the date of the opening of the application. This alone is going to screw a lot of contractors and their customers. (although I have been telling contractors for years now that the applications are only good for 1 year)

What really bothers me is the procedure of action the NYBFU has chosen. Not to officially send a letter before letting this info slip into the public.
Bldg departments and contractors are contacting me in the droves...I am not the official person to speak with and I refer them to the President of the Board.
The 4th largest city of the state has already started turning applications over to another inspection company, they are not waiting for an official letter. The inspector for the NYBFU of that city is on vacation and has no clue as to what he is in for when he comes back on Monday...He was told a few weeks ago that he would be receiving a raise. So much for the raise.

It is sad news indeed, but the NYBFU has been slipping towards the abyss for years now, and finally has fallen into it.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
There is so much more to this story then has been mentioned, but it is not something to be discussed on an open forum.

As of Tuesday, the NYBFU is no longer accepting applications. (ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NOT TOLD ANYONE OFFICIALLY - THEY ARE LETTING CONTRACTORS AND BUILDING OFFICIAL FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES!!!!!!)
By early October, they will no longer be performing inspections, and the company will be dissolved.

They will not be honoring any applications more than a year old from the date of the opening of the application. This alone is going to screw a lot of contractors and their customers. (although I have been telling contractors for years now that the applications are only good for 1 year)

What really bothers me is the procedure of action the NYBFU has chosen. Not to officially send a letter before letting this info slip into the public.
Bldg departments and contractors are contacting me in the droves...I am not the official person to speak with and I refer them to the President of the Board.
The 4th largest city of the state has already started turning applications over to another inspection company, they are not waiting for an official letter. The inspector for the NYBFU of that city is on vacation and has no clue as to what he is in for when he comes back on Monday...He was told a few weeks ago that he would be receiving a raise. So much for the raise.

It is sad news indeed, but the NYBFU has been slipping towards the abyss for years now, and finally has fallen into it.
Click to expand...

I started using NYBFU in 1975 and the word that best describes management is ARROGANT and they are true to the bitter end

I stopped using them when a new inspection agency finally was "town approved" here on long Island.

NYBFU had it all and management finally sunk the ship. :grin:
 
Anyone in NY use the NYBFU?

Speaking as a Horse-The story is long and convoluted.
Be sure however that those at the Board now -From the current president[The man whose face you see on our website intro page]down thru the inspectors and to the syracuse staff have been working always with the idea that "The Board" was worth it and could be brought back to what it was meant to be and beyond.
Be sure also that the moves made beginning this past tuesday were not something that anyone was aware of in advanceand that management held on because they too believed in the board.
We are making the towns aware of the situation.
The situation has literally only become official as of yesterday/7/15/09--
Inspectors are getting in touch with contractors to aid them in this transition period.
It would behoove contractors to review their paperwork and contact their area inspectors with regards to any concerns.
We are still out there.
I joined NYBFU in 2002. At that time they had just begun a transition to a computerized system and all those that I met or worked with in my tenure were doing the job actually for the best of reasons-I've said it before -I 'm probably naive but most people who were brought on and were operating the company believed we were there to work for a company that was concerned with safety and safe informed inspections.
I'm well aware of old time stories.
When you have a company that has been in existense since 1867 you have a lot of time to generate some great stories.
You can learn from those stories but like the Stones Said-apparently 'Time Waits For No one".
I didn't join the Board with the hopes of making money-It was and actually still is a non-profit- but as I said before I believed in the reason for the Boards existence-and that made it worth it-I've always been proud to be what so many call[when an NYBFU inspector appears on the job site] one of the "Underwriters".
When I heard that my response was..,"You're the electrician? I'm the inspector-you can call me Jimmy."
 
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Jim
It is really nice to see that some (yourself), worked with the betterment of the industry/NYBFU in mind.
But alas, my friend you entered the mix way too late to help try resurrect a company fraught with little energy towards fulfilling such an end. I believe you with what you mentioned in your post, and I feel bad for one such as you. But the Board was doomed a number of years ago when they were being directed by two fools who knew not what they were doing in the big picture. (and obviously an ownership, that somehow behind the scene, let it all occur)

I can only say good luck over the next few months, as there are a large number of upset (to say it mildly) contractors and building departments/officials.

I hope you find your feet when this has all expired.
 
Anyone in NY use the NYBFU?

Thank you Pierre-Life is an adventure and apparently a new one is coming for me-though lord knows at 51 and in these times it 's bound to take a few chapters-but thats the way it is and I'll be still in the field in one capacity or another-"Can't get rid of me that easy".
Thanks.
 
Jim
At some point in the next couple of months, contact me, I may be able to help you with your future endeavors in this great industry of ours. You are way too young to think your end is near. ;)
I am sure you may be aware this situation has many people thinking, which is going to open up many good opportunities.
 
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