Inspections and Permit Fees

[jaylectricity]

A customer chopped off the second floor of a house and built a second and third floor. I'm re-wiring the whole house. He started the construction before the stock market fell this last fall.

The plans changed to just finish the second floor with the bedrooms so he could move in. I rough-wired the second and third floor and I got the inspector to sign off those floors with the expectation that he'd inspect the first floor before the rough was legitimately final.

The inspector is my old boss's boss and we're relatively friendly. Now the homeowner would like to get one more room on the first floor inspected so his disabled father can move in.

Is it reasonable for the inspector to charge an additional minimum permit fee to break up the rough inspection into three parts? The initial permit was $135 or so and the minimum permit is $35.

A second question: Has anybody else had to split up their inspections this way?

 

[raider1]

Is it reasonable for the inspector to charge an additional minimum permit fee to break up the rough inspection into three parts?

If the original permit fee was based on a single rough insepction, then it is reasonable for the inspector to charge additional fees for the additional inspections.

Chris

 

[jaylectricity]

If the original permit fee was based on a single rough insepction, then it is reasonable for the inspector to charge additional fees for the additional inspections.

Chris

So you think it would be OK if I asked the inspector to break it up like that if I offered to pay the additional fee?

 

[raider1]

So you think it would be OK if I asked the inspector to break it up like that if I offered to pay the additional fee?

Sure, it never hurts to ask. Hopefully the building department is willing to work with you on this.

Chris

 

[jaylectricity]

Where do you draw the line between sob story and hard luck?

 

[raider1]

Where do you draw the line between sob story and hard luck?

Good question.

I am old softy, so I will usually work with people unless it really gets out of hand.

Chris

 

[LarryFine]

So you think it would be OK if I asked the inspector to break it up like that if I offered to pay the additional fee?

I got the impression from the OP that he was charging extra, and you wanted to know if he should have been doing so.

Knowing better now, I'd say ask for the inspection(s) you need, and he'll let you know if/when time comes for re-visit fees.

I've had many larger jobs broken into parts, and the plans were marked by the inspector for each section he approved.

 

[jaylectricity]

I got the impression from the OP that he was charging extra, and you wanted to know if he should have been doing so.

Knowing better now, I'd say ask for the inspection(s) you need, and he'll let you know if/when time comes for re-visit fees.

I've had many larger jobs broken into parts, and the plans were marked by the inspector for each section he approved.

Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the reply. It helps to know that this isn't an extraordinary request.

 

[ohm]

If the original permit fee was based on a single rough insepction, then it is reasonable for the inspector to charge additional fees for the additional inspections.

Chris

I must have it really good because the inspectors will come by as often as requested to answer questions or sign off a portion of the job. No extra charge.

 

[George Stolz]

I think this will vary area by area.

I have worked in a hospital, where they built a new Triage/ER area and split the work into multiple phases. The inspector made notes about which room numbers he had inspected and made probably four or five different rough inspections.

On houses, this tends to wear on the building department's patience. Keeping an open and honest dialogue with the inspector will help avoid any unforeseen hardship down the road. A re-inspect fee is a small price to pay in the long run, it's really maintaining a positive rapport with the Building Department that becomes the priority, IMO.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I got the impression from the OP that he was charging extra, and you wanted to know if he should have been doing so.

Knowing better now, I'd say ask for the inspection(s) you need, and he'll let you know if/when time comes for re-visit fees.

I've had many larger jobs broken into parts, and the plans were marked by the inspector for each section he approved.

That is exactly how I do it. I am just finishing up a very large inspection of a property that has been under major renovation for almost 3 years...imagine if I only told them one inspection...:grin:
I have been on that property maybe 75 times.

Good question.

I am old softy, so I will usually work with people unless it really gets out of hand.

Chris

Me too...sometimes.

 

[ohm]

IMHO the inspector/EC relationship is based on mutual trust and respect, over a period of time. If the EC is never caught in a lie and asks for an opinion before doing it wrong and begging forgiveness later, things can go very well.

I actually look forward to meeting the inspectors and after the inspection is done we always chat about things in our private lives.

 

[wbalsam1]

An inspector's time, trained observation of conditions (wiring methods), and advice are his/her stock in the electrical trade. Therefore, each "stop" is valuable and it is reasonable to expect a professional fee associated with it.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

In Wilmington, NC, you pay a permit fee (usually $45) (if the GC submits a total set of plans and someone pays all the impact fees), and an inspection fee for every inspection ($45). Seems fair to me.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

An inspector's time, trained observation of conditions (wiring methods), and advice are his/her stock in the electrical trade. Therefore, each "stop" is valuable and it is reasonable to expect a professional fee associated with it.

Fred
What about drivebys...

 

[wbalsam1]

Fred
What about drivebys...

They should be at minimum wage!

 

[jaylectricity]

IMHO the inspector/EC relationship is based on mutual trust and respect, over a period of time. If the EC is never caught in a lie and asks for an opinion before doing it wrong and begging forgiveness later, things can go very well.

I actually look forward to meeting the inspectors and after the inspection is done we always chat about things in our private lives.

Well this particular inspector is the guy who taught the guy who taught me. So he's like my electrical grandfather or something like that. Most of the other electricians in his town don't like him but I've never had a problem.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Like Pierre, I've got an 86 unit assisted care facility that we are inspecting and we go there almost every day. I don't understand why they want what they want sometimes, but that's not my decision to make.

I'll work with everyone as a rule, it's when I go back the third or fourth time on a correction notice that I will usually access additional fees.

 

[dumbcluck]

remember, in these hard times the inspector needs to keep busy too.

 

[quogueelectric]

I will bend over backwards to help a legitimate person in need.
If I find out that I have been played. Hell hath no fury like a cow scorned.
You had better hold on to your hat because I will spend whatever it takes to take the scoundrel to justice even if I lose money it has an entertainment value to me to watch them twist in the wind in court.
I once had a little sweet southern belle in my town who faked breast cancer to get a boob job and build a new double wide for a rental.
We raised probably 50k for her dr bills until things didnt add up.
She was thrown to the wolves both criminally and civilly. Run out of town on a rail as they say.