What would you say to this inspector

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electricmanscott said:
That is somewhat unrealistic. I do not do a thorough inspection when I go to look at a job. I get in, discuss with customer what they want done, look around for how I will make it happen, and get out.
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When you do this look around you should also be looking for anything that is out of place or anything that need repairing.



electricmanscott said:
The reality is every single house I go into contains numerous violations. If I stumble upon something that is actually dangerous I bring it up to the homeowner and in some cases just fix it and let them know I took care of it.
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Now all you have to do is complete the rest of pointing out things that you know needs addressing


electricmanscott said:
The code official can say whatever they want about it. It is NOT my property, I do NOT own these issues. The code official should bring these things to the PROPERTY OWNERS attention.
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I agree that it is not your property but YOU are the one that invited the code official into the other persons house.


electricmanscott said:
But really my point is more towards the inspector putting guys on the spot like this. When you say something like "do me a favor, fix...whatever" it just makes some feel like they have to do this or else and in fact this is smoetomes the case. Disobey the inspector and you are on the s-list. There is really no need for this.
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In my opinion you are taking all this too personal. When you go out to do a bid of remodel work experience should tell you that the code official is going to be looking at the entire system so you should make sure that you have included in your bid all these deficiencies.
If you haven?t and they get pointed out then it is not the inspector that you are angry with but instead it is yourself that you are angry with.
 
mpd said:
electricmanscott

i have gave my point of view, this thread will accomplish nothing
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So please don't reply to this topic anymore. You are not helping your cause to the reason you object to the thread.

Roger
 
jwelectric said:
In my opinion you are taking all this too personal. When you go out to do a bid of remodel work experience should tell you that the code official is going to be looking at the entire system so you should make sure that you have included in your bid all these deficiencies.
If you haven?t and they get pointed out then it is not the inspector that you are angry with but instead it is yourself that you are angry with.
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But does the inspector have the authority to inspect the entire building or just what's on the permit?
 
infinity said:
But does the inspector have the authority to inspect the entire building or just what's on the permit?
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I don't have the answer to that but I believe that should be addressed. It would be impossible to bid a job and figure in every violation. I usually will take care of obvious violations like staples and plates and will talk to the HO about the other violation and see if they want them dealt with. Sometimes, if I know the customer, I just fix it.
 
infinity said:
But does the inspector have the authority to inspect the entire building or just what's on the permit?
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I think that may be a local issue. In exisiting commercial establishments in my area inspectors can and do look for violations beyond what may be permitted, I'm okay with this because it usually brings more work to us. The Owner takes the violation and has to have it fixed and ends up in a safer building.

Scott will be alright with it too when his inspectors inspects one of his jobs and makes him install tamper resistant receptacles through out the whole house. ;)

Roger
 
roger said:
So please don't reply to this topic anymore. You are not helping your cause to the reason you object to the thread.

Roger
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agreed, he is creating a self fulfilling prophecy....an inspector will be bashed, but not for the reasons stated in the OP...and the thread will be closed...

carry on
 
jwelectric said:
When you do this look around you should also be looking for anything that is out of place or anything that need repairing.



Now all you have to do is complete the rest of pointing out things that you know needs addressing


I agree that it is not your property but YOU are the one that invited the code official into the other persons house.


In my opinion you are taking all this too personal. When you go out to do a bid of remodel work experience should tell you that the code official is going to be looking at the entire system so you should make sure that you have included in your bid all these deficiencies.
If you haven?t and they get pointed out then it is not the inspector that you are angry with but instead it is yourself that you are angry with.
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I can't say i really agreew tih any of this.

I am not there to do an inspection, I am there to look at work the custromer called me for.

I might not see everything that need addressing.

The code official was "invited" (actually mandated by law) to look at the work that I did.

If I was to include all the deficiencies in my bid I would NOT be getting the work plain and simple as that. There is no requirement to bring everything up to current code if, for example, I am wiring a bathroom, or installing some recessed lighting.


The inspector has absolutley ZERO right or authority to hold me responsible for what they find in a persons property, NONE.
 
infinity said:
But does the inspector have the authority to inspect the entire building or just what's on the permit?
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Yes!
It is his/her job to insure the safety of the public. Here in NC the code official has the power to pull a meter in the event of a safety issue.

If I did a job on a remodel and called the inspector to come out I just invited the inspector to that job. It wasn?t the home owner nor the general contractor that invited the inspector out, it was me that invited him out.
Should the inspector see something that needs addressing I would expect that inspector to address the issues with me and not the homeowner nor anyone else.

If I don?t want the code official to address any problems he sees with me then I just wont invite him to come out, plain and simple.
I am the professional electrician on the job so who else would the inspector address an electrical problem with?
 
What if, after you decline to "obey the inspector" he writes you a correction notice. You bring this to the homeowners attention and they say that inspections are your problem and they have no intention of paying for a job that can't pass inspection. They are not interested in your excuses and are astonished that even though you said you were a professional, what kind of professional are you if you won't put on a few covers?

The scenario I have just outlined is most likely how this will actually play out. The Inspector wins, the EC loses and the HO has a story to tell about their experience with a contractor who didn't want to follow the rules.
 
electricmanscott said:
The inspector has absolutley ZERO right or authority to hold me responsible for what they find in a persons property, NONE.
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I agree but, IMO the inspector can hold the owner responsible and require the repairs be done.

I think your real beef is who should be responsible for the expense of the repairs

Roger
 
there is no right answer here, it depends on what is enforced in that area and the situation, many contractors wait for the inspector to point out unsafe situations, why? they have been working on that job and have seen the violations and said nothing to the homeowner, and then the homeowner asks the same question to me how come the contractor did not see it, it feel like saying because he is a does not have a clue and is trying to get you for extras, but I can't say that,
 
mpd said:
roger

it always does, the only way would be to close this thread now
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MPD, don't take it personally. We, the EC, are often bashing our co-workers. Just by showing pictures of violations we are bashing them. We are indirectly bashing the inspectors that allow these violations to take place.

I have a lot of respect for inspectors but there are some that don't give a damn and just want a pay check. This is also true of many EC and every other worker in the world. There are both ends of the spectrum everywhere.

I think Scott's question is a legitimate question to ask. I know if I were an inspector I would have a hard time turning and ignoring a violation no matter when it was done.

On the other hand, in commercial jobs the fire depart., etc can go in and do inspections at will. I just don't think the EC should be held accountable for other work he/she did not do.
 
mpd said:
there is no right answer here, it depends on what is enforced in that area and the situation, many contractors wait for the inspector to point out unsafe situations, why? they have been working on that job and have seen the violations and said nothing to the homeowner, and then the homeowner asks the same question to me how come the contractor did not see it, it feel like saying because he is a does not have a clue and is trying to get you for extras, but I can't say that,
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You could always tell them to contact the BBB or licensing board with a complaint. In NC this can be done online and will be investigated.

Roger
 
mpd said:
there is no right answer here, it depends on what is enforced in that area and the situation, many contractors wait for the inspector to point out unsafe situations, why? they have been working on that job and have seen the violations and said nothing to the homeowner, and then the homeowner asks the same question to me how come the contractor did not see it, it feel like saying because he is a does not have a clue and is trying to get you for extras, but I can't say that,
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This makes no sense. :confused:

if the contractor was trying to "get you" for extras then the contractor would have pointed these thing out.
 
roger said:
I agree but, IMO the inspector can hold the owner responsible and require the repairs be done.

I think your real beef is who should be responsible for the expense of the repairs

Roger
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My beef is with the inspector putting this upon me (or us)

We do not own the property.

When I get a permit for work, it is for work I am doing. That is what I am responsible for. I do not take responsibility for issues on some property just by taking out a permit. That is just crazy talk.
 
mpd said:
there is no right answer here, it depends on what is enforced in that area and the situation, many contractors wait for the inspector to point out unsafe situations, why? they have been working on that job and have seen the violations and said nothing to the homeowner, and then the homeowner asks the same question to me how come the contractor did not see it, it feel like saying because he is a does not have a clue and is trying to get you for extras, but I can't say that,
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But my friend, the truth will set you free.

I agree with your statement completely. There some contractors that will be so afraid that they wont get a job that they bid the job based on only what is to be achieved for a particular part and not look at the entire picture and then cry when things are pointed out that needs addressing.

I also agree that when doing a kitchen remodel that the entire system is not required to conform with the current standards but the entire system will have to conform with the standards that were in place when the original installation was made.

To do a bid for a few hundred dollars to install a couple of circuits knowing that there are open junction boxes and dangling cables all over the place is asking the inspector to nail you to the cross.
Just include these items with your bid and be done.
 
electricmanscott

what does your administrative say in your area about violations found during an inspection? if it is not your problem, then don't fix it and appeal the inspector
 
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