AHJ within their authority

[kwired]

Why not anticipate 2 different prices on same contract?

1st price within scope
2nd price with unforeseen additions,
which depends on owner change orders, and extraordinary AHJ mandates, such as 1, 2, 3, etc..

When inspectors pull this stuff, remind owner that you warned them this could happen, before they signed your contract.

Kick the can to owner, to protest AHJ additions beyond project scope.

How do you estimate/bid something unforeseen?

If you know it is there it is not unforeseen.

If it is something truly unforeseen the price could be pretty significant, but how were you to know it would come about?

There are often many possibilities you may count on being likely (experience helps understand how likely they may be there) and just include covering them in your bid. Kind of not unforeseen if you know there is a good chance of something being like it is.

If you don't know if an inspector will accept something as is, that gets more complex, but you can possibly mention it somehow in the bid and give an adder price to remedy that situation if it becomes necessary.

 

[gadfly56]

How do you estimate/bid something unforeseen?

If you know it is there it is not unforeseen.

If it is something truly unforeseen the price could be pretty significant, but how were you to know it would come about?

There are often many possibilities you may count on being likely (experience helps understand how likely they may be there) and just include covering them in your bid. Kind of not unforeseen if you know there is a good chance of something being like it is.

If you don't know if an inspector will accept something as is, that gets more complex, but you can possibly mention it somehow in the bid and give an adder price to remedy that situation if it becomes necessary.

You'd be better off outlining an escalation charge based on some commodity index, say, for copper. More than so much percentage rise, you submit a change order for material price escalation.

 

[ramsy]

How do you estimate/bid something unforeseen?

Google "contract language unforeseen"
Here's my first 3 links:

unforeseen circumstances clauses

unforeseen conditions clauses

How to include unforeseen site conditions in your contract

Heres one listed under special provisions.

ADJUSTMENT IN THE CONTRACT AMOUNT DUE TO CHANGES

Adjustments of contract fee shall be determined by negotiations before performing the work. The proposal for the changed work estimates the adjustment in Contract Amount...

--- End Samples ---

If client refuses extra fee then Open Permits result, and when property is sold if new Title insurance finds open permits, property is un-insurable until rectified.

 

[SceneryDriver]

I don't know about Texas or Illinois, but it is very common to have the sub-code official (AHJ) come and inspect your work here in NJ.

They'll come and inspect, when they're not 12 weeks behind on plan review and permit approval (not salty at all ).


SceneryDriver

 

[Ken_S]

They'll come and inspect, when they're not 12 weeks behind on plan review and permit approval (not salty at all ).


SceneryDriver

In NJ they have 20 days, then I believe 7 more if the plans are not released when resubmitted

 

[gadfly56]

They'll come and inspect, when they're not 12 weeks behind on plan review and permit approval (not salty at all ).


SceneryDriver

You know, over the last few months that's really not been an issue for me. I actually got a plan review, rejection, resubmittal and approval done in Jersey City in 19 business days. And that was mostly me getting back late with a new card. It was 1 day for review and rejection and then 1 day for re-review and approval. It took longer for them to acknowledge our on line payment. Jersey City; who'd believe it?

 

[SceneryDriver]

In NJ they have 20 days, then I believe 7 more if the plans are not released when resubmitted

They had their 20 business days. When I called to find out what the holdup was, I was told by the subcode official he was 8 weeks behind on plan review, and I shouldn't expect anything until June at least. Cool...


SceneryDriver

 

[infinity]

They had their 20 business days. When I called to find out what the holdup was, I was told by the subcode official he was 8 weeks behind on plan review, and I shouldn't expect anything until June at least. Cool...


SceneryDriver

8 weeks behind, that is a disgrace. If they have that many permits then they are collecting money so they should pay for overtime. The problem is in Trenton, they don't want to force towns to comply because everyone is already screaming about high taxes.

 

[gadfly56]

8 weeks behind, that is a disgrace. If they have that many permits then they are collecting money so they should pay for overtime. The problem is in Trenton, they don't want to force towns to comply because everyone is already screaming about high taxes.

Fees don't get paid until the permit is actually issued, so inferentially, they are working on the cuff.

 

[readydave8]

Fees don't get paid until the permit is actually issued, so inferentially, they are working on the cuff.

On the cuff? I don't get paid for jobs I can't get to

 

[jaggedben]

Most places the inspector has no practical way to require corrections of existing conditions. The only time I have ever heard of a residential co being pulled was after a catastrophic event like a fire or flood.

In this case, since the OP is a solar contractor, the OP needs the permit signed off to get an interconnection agreement. So the inspector refuses to sign the permit, effectively holding hostage the payback the client is expecting on the system. It's pretty effective.

 

[petersonra]

In this case, since the OP is a solar contractor, the OP needs the permit signed off to get an interconnection agreement. So the inspector refuses to sign the permit, effectively holding hostage the payback the client is expecting on the system. It's pretty effective.

Gc needs to either capitulate or appeal to higher authority.

 

[Strathead]

Th

I know the old saying, whatever your inspector wants is what you have to do — at the same time, I’m sure someone here has experienced this before and I’d love to learn from your experience

We have a small city in our service area with a contract inspector who’s all over enforcing breaker listing in existing panels. To clarify: we primarily do solar, so we run into existing panels on every job unless we’re doing a panel replacement. We are responsible for using the appropriate listed breaker with our installation. This inspector is requiring us to replace any unlisted existing breaker, even if not within the scope of our work. It seems a little excessive to me, wondering what everyone else runs into. I don’t see this with other cities, just this inspector.

He loves to suggest that we use Eaton classified breakers — which are of course nearly impossible to locate and costly. We stock Siemens, Eaton and Square D — the most recent panel was a Gould panel that had Eaton BR breakers in it. We came back and switched them to Siemens, again — existing, not within our scope and had been there since the initial home final inspection was signed off.

Thoughts?

The inspector isn't the AHJ. You need to contact the AHJ. He is a government employee and a building official. If you don't get satisfaction, you can petition the state board. It sounds like you have a valid issue.

 

[gadfly56]

On the cuff? I don't get paid for jobs I can't get to

I was replying to infinity's claim that the various construction departments are collecting fees and then sitting on the applications. That's clearly not true.

 

[infinity]

I was replying to infinity's claim that the various construction departments are collecting fees and then sitting on the applications. That's clearly not true.

Actually I never said when they were collecting the money or sitting on permits only that with a large number of permits they will at some point be collecting more money than usual.Those funds should be used to hire more people.

 

[BackCountry]

Th

The inspector isn't the AHJ. You need to contact the AHJ. He is a government employee and a building official. If you don't get satisfaction, you can petition the state board. It sounds like you have a valid issue.

I’m close to taking that approach.

In a new update: they are also charging the line item fee for an electrical vehicle charged, $300 and adding that on to the solar plan review, $483. So if I add an EV charger to the single line diagram, and the spec sheet — they’re charging the same amount that they charge for three 10kwh batteries and a transfer switch.

I asked the city building official for fee clarification, and no response so far. I feel like EV chargers are getting treated like they’re rocket science… they’re no more complicated than any other branch circuit.

 

[gadfly56]

Actually I never said when they were collecting the money or sitting on permits only that with a large number of permits they will at some point be collecting more money than usual.Those funds should be used to hire more people.

Apologies for misreading the intent of your post.

 

[petersonra]

I’m close to taking that approach.

In a new update: they are also charging the line item fee for an electrical vehicle charged, $300 and adding that on to the solar plan review, $483. So if I add an EV charger to the single line diagram, and the spec sheet — they’re charging the same amount that they charge for three 10kwh batteries and a transfer switch.

I asked the city building official for fee clarification, and no response so far. I feel like EV chargers are getting treated like they’re rocket science… they’re no more complicated than any other branch circuit.

Ev chargers are not a typical branch circuit though. It will usually require at least a cursory look at the calculated load on the feeder and service.

It seems like something that should be simple but we have experienced electricians here that it routinely baffles.

If they become more common, perhaps the fee will go down. But I would not bet on it.

 

[BackCountry]

Ev chargers are not a typical branch circuit though. It will usually require at least a cursory look at the calculated load on the feeder and service.

It seems like something that should be simple but we have experienced electricians here that it routinely baffles.

If they become more common, perhaps the fee will go down. But I would not bet on it.

I can understand that in other parts of the country. Here, I’m talking about a level 2 charger at 40A. it’s either a 100, 125 or 200A rated CSED combo meter panel, so no feeder — the AHJ doesn’t look at the service wire, the utility does if it’s part of the upgrade process, otherwise that’s about it. I do agree with the fee as a standalone submittal, I just think if it’s paired with a PV submittal, which is already about 15 pages, that they should be able to consolidate the fee, that’s all. Another AHJ by us reduces the fee by 50% when combined, as an example.

 

[WA_Sparky]

I know the old saying, whatever your inspector wants is what you have to do — at the same time, I’m sure someone here has experienced this before and I’d love to learn from your experience

We have a small city in our service area with a contract inspector who’s all over enforcing breaker listing in existing panels. To clarify: we primarily do solar, so we run into existing panels on every job unless we’re doing a panel replacement. We are responsible for using the appropriate listed breaker with our installation. This inspector is requiring us to replace any unlisted existing breaker, even if not within the scope of our work. It seems a little excessive to me, wondering what everyone else runs into. I don’t see this with other cities, just this inspector.

He loves to suggest that we use Eaton classified breakers — which are of course nearly impossible to locate and costly. We stock Siemens, Eaton and Square D — the most recent panel was a Gould panel that had Eaton BR breakers in it. We came back and switched them to Siemens, again — existing, not within our scope and had been there since the initial home final inspection was signed off.

Thoughts?

Is it possible hes vaguely telling you to match all breakers cause of the need for series rated system and not fully rated?