Why I really dislike inspectors and townships....

[jaylectricity]

I don't see how you arrived at the tort reform conclusion :-?
What's that got to do with it?

Well check this out for a moment:

Tort reform refers to proposed changes in the civil justice system that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort is a system for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to another's person, property or other protected interests (e.g. reputation, under libel and slander laws). Tort reform advocates focus on personal injury in particular.

In the United States tort reform is a contentious political issue. US tort reform advocates propose, among other things, procedural limits on the ability to file claims, and capping the awards of damages. According to Forbes reporter Daniel Fisher, tort reform is "A catchall phrase for legislative measures designed to make it harder for individuals to sue businesses."

I think the OP is referring to his business being wronged by these other illegal operations.

Just a guess.

 

[satcom]

It the state wants to grant licenses to regulate a business, then they must inforce the laws related to it, the scales of justice must be balanced, if they are not then the agency issuing the licenses should made to answer to a higher court.

 

[Rich R]

It the state wants to grant licenses to regulate a business, then they must inforce the laws related to it, the scales of justice must be balanced, if they are not then the agency issuing the licenses should made to answer to a higher court.

Exactly.... I mean what is the point of licensing if not enforced? If i didn't have to pay the expenses that go with licensing and legal business operations etc.. I could do service changes all day long for $600 and make a profit.

 

[jaylectricity]

Exactly.... I mean what is the point of licensing if not enforced? If i didn't have to pay the expenses that go with licensing and legal business operations etc.. I could do service changes all day long for $600 and make a profit.

I just spent $400 just for the meter socket and riser materials. How can you change out everything and make a profit?

 

[cadpoint]

I just spent $400 just for the meter socket and riser materials. How can you change out everything and make a profit?

Am old friend use to say raise your rates...

 

[emahler]

I don't see how you arrived at the tort reform conclusion :-?
What's that got to do with it?

beuracracy (sp?) comes from entities covering their tails to avoid lawsuits...

 

[emahler]

Agree............ Erik just likes to whine............

i like cheese too....

can i have a job?

 

[emahler]

It the state wants to grant licenses to regulate a business, then they must inforce the laws related to it, the scales of justice must be balanced, if they are not then the agency issuing the licenses should made to answer to a higher court.

i was tempted to ask if it was ok for me to no longer file permits in that town...i mean, so long as no one wrote in a formal complaint....

 

[Rich R]

I just spent $400 just for the meter socket and riser materials. How can you change out everything and make a profit?

I was just throwing numbers out there as an example of how an unlicensed handyman can undercut your price buy half in most cases and still make a profit, If your state won't enforce licensing then what is the point of you spending the money to be licensed etc..

My service changes start at $2000

 

[jwjrw]

I was just throwing numbers out there as an example of how an unlicensed handyman can undercut your price buy half in most cases and still make a profit, If your state won't enforce licensing then what is the point of you spending the money to be licensed etc..

My service changes start at $2000 Wish we could get 2000 for a service change here. About 1000 is average for a 200A here. And even if you spent 400 in materials 600 profit in 4 to 5 hours is good. 2000 seems a little high but if everyone else was getting it I guess I would too.

 

[realolman]

According to Forbes reporter Daniel Fisher, tort reform is "A catchall phrase for legislative measures designed to make it harder for individuals to sue businesses."

Exactly. It has nothing at all to do with this.

 

[emahler]

Exactly. It has nothing at all to do with this.

when asked why a 'written complaint' was required, his response was basically to protect the township...from lawsuits from the landlord/contractor for false accusations, etc....

it really has everything to do with it....

they want to cover their tail....because they don't want to be sued - justifiably or not...

what other possible reason could they want a written complaint for?

 

[petersonra]

work consists of replacing a boiler that died and removing/resetting a couple of RTU's so that work can be done on the roof...

suffice to say - no permits have been pulled for this work...no electrical...no plumbing (gas)....no permits period...

Around here I am not sure that kind of work would even require a permit. It might be it technically requires one but I doubt anyone ever does.

But if you want to put up a split rail fence you have to pay 50 cents for a fence permit so they can jack your RE taxes up. Replacement of defective equipment does not change your RE taxes any so they don't care.

 

[satcom]

I was just throwing numbers out there as an example of how an unlicensed handyman can undercut your price buy half in most cases and still make a profit, If your state won't enforce licensing then what is the point of you spending the money to be licensed etc..

My service changes start at $2000 Wish we could get 2000 for a service change here. About 1000 is average for a 200A here. And even if you spent 400 in materials 600 profit in 4 to 5 hours is good. 2000 seems a little high but if everyone else was getting it I guess I would too.

If 2000 seems a little high, your must not be in business, or you may of never looked at contracting from a business view, many of the guy that don't take the business view, may have a personal truck, and little or no insurances, and run everything out of a shoe box.
If the material was 400 wich is low for a 200A service upgrade, the 600 is not profit, they need to take out direct labor, and then about 600 in overhead and operating espenses.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Here they won't let us be proactive, we have to be reactive and so we used to require a written complaint signed, by the complainants and we used to never take anonymous complaints.

We still need name for the complaint or the city attorney will not take it, especially on residential.

Many of you have made it clear that inspectors cannot just walk on to your property and you are correct. We have right of entry only if you have an open permit. With a complaint if we can't get into the property we can always get a warrant.

Commercial is not so hard as it is open to the public we can usually just walk in and hook them up.

 

[satcom]

Here they won't let us be proactive, we have to be reactive and so we used to require a written complaint signed, by the complainants and we used to never take anonymous complaints.

We still need name for the complaint or the city attorney will not take it, especially on residential.

Many of you have made it clear that inspectors cannot just walk on to your property and you are correct. We have right of entry only if you have an open permit. With a complaint if we can't get into the property we can always get a warrant.

Commercial is not so hard as it is open to the public we can usually just walk in and hook them up.

John, an intresting thing we have seen often, is if construction work is going on and they don't have the permit where it can be viewed from the street, even the police will contact the AHJ and they will go to the location and see who is doing the work.

 

[jwjrw]

If 2000 seems a little high, your must not be in business, or you may of never looked at contracting from a business view, many of the guy that don't take the business view, may have a personal truck, and little or no insurances, and run everything out of a shoe box.
If the material was 400 wich is low for a 200A service upgrade, the 600 is not profit, they need to take out direct labor, and then about 600 in overhead and operating espenses.

Actually we have been in business since 1974. We work in million and up homes so we have plenty of insurance. And here 2000 is very high for a normal service. And I wont bother to respond to what you think I am or how you think I run MY Business. I charge what the market pays here. Too much you dont get the job and we are in a very comppettive market. So yes here on a normal run of the mill nothing out of the ordinary service change 2000 would be high.

 

[jwjrw]

Around here I am not sure that kind of work would even require a permit. It might be it technically requires one but I doubt anyone ever does.

But if you want to put up a split rail fence you have to pay 50 cents for a fence permit so they can jack your RE taxes up. Replacement of defective equipment does not change your RE taxes any so they don't care.

They want permits here for changing a switch or light fixture.

 

[emahler]

Here they won't let us be proactive, we have to be reactive and so we used to require a written complaint signed, by the complainants and we used to never take anonymous complaints.

We still need name for the complaint or the city attorney will not take it, especially on residential.

Many of you have made it clear that inspectors cannot just walk on to your property and you are correct. We have right of entry only if you have an open permit. With a complaint if we can't get into the property we can always get a warrant.

Commercial is not so hard as it is open to the public we can usually just walk in and hook them up.

John, this is a commercial project...all he had to do was look to see if a permit was applied for/pulled....

John, an intresting thing we have seen often, is if construction work is going on and they don't have the permit where it can be viewed from the street, even the police will contact the AHJ and they will go to the location and see who is doing the work.

Les, big difference between the counties...nothing posted...work definitely requires permits...

again, just an example of what I believe is wrong with not only our industry, but society...easier to police those who comply, then those who thumb their noses at the rules...so let's just keep piling rules and regulations on the good ones....

 

[Sierrasparky]

when asked why a 'written complaint' was required, his response was basically to protect the township...from lawsuits from the landlord/contractor for false accusations, etc....

it really has everything to do with it....

they want to cover their tail....because they don't want to be sued - justifiably or not...

what other possible reason could they want a written complaint for?

Really ,,,,, There is no false acusations if there is a non permitted job in progress that is in need of proper permits. Who cares who made the acusation. The dept is just saying that they are unwilling to be the police. Mostlikely becauase it costs them more money then they will ever recover.