Why we need permits and inspections

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cowboyjwc said:
Someone on this site, once asked why we even needed inspectors. I said you would be surprised at the stuff I see when they know I'm coming out. Could you imagine what they would do if they thought no one was going to check on them?
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Yes & Thank you John

~RJ~
 
cowboyjwc said:
Someone on this site, once asked why we even needed inspectors. I said you would be surprised at the stuff I see when they know I'm coming out. Could you imagine what they would do if they thought no one was going to check on them?
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And at the same time, can you imagine the frustration at what some inspectors are balking at when this is the crap they are supposed to be looking for?
 
peter d said:
Inspections and permits do little to nothing to eliminate substandard work.
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More they demand a benchmark for workmanship any trade can aspire to , the consumer can have confidence in , and a competitive playing field can exist in Peter

I'd encourage you to go hug your AHJ

w/o them, there's none of us.....

~RJ~
 
cowboyjwc said:
Someone on this site, once asked why we even needed inspectors. I said you would be surprised at the stuff I see when they know I'm coming out. Could you imagine what they would do if they thought no one was going to check on them?
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MAC702 said:
And at the same time, can you imagine the frustration at what some inspectors are balking at when this is the crap they are supposed to be looking for?
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There needs to be a middle here, some have it, the rest have one extreme or the other.
 
romex jockey said:
More they demand a benchmark for workmanship any trade can aspire to , the consumer can have confidence in , and a competitive playing field can exist in Peter

I'd encourage you to go hug your AHJ
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What utopian world are you living in? The reality is the exact opposite of those things. I repeat - inspections and permits do virtually nothing to guarantee a quality installation. In fact, most of the hack work I see is by so-called licensed electricians that was permitted and inspected.

You are simply not living in reality.


w/o them, there's none of us.....

~RJ~
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Yeah, ok. :roll: Without inspectors there are no electricians? Seriously? That is laughable at best.
 
peter d said:
What utopian world are you living in? The reality is the exact opposite of those things. I repeat - inspections and permits do virtually nothing to guarantee a quality installation. In fact, most of the hack work I see is by so-called licensed electricians that was permitted and inspected.

You are simply not living in reality
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Well bad inspectors are just as bad as bad contractors. If what you see where you live is that awful, then you have a real problem and it should be addressed with the local jurisdiction(s).

Remember also that what you might consider "hack" work, is simply work you wouldn't do, that doesn't mean it's not code compliant. Pretty doesn't mean better, just means different.
 
tom baker said:
This is our Washington Labor and Industry "Ugly Picture of the Month" for January, in our monthly electrical newsletter
Here is the commentary...
One of our inspectors was at a residence inspecting a new air conditioner unit. When he asked to see the electrical panel where the circuit originated, the homeowner got very nervous and the inspector discovered this very dangerous installation to a generator transfer
panel. The inspector followed up using the department’s process to ensure a permit was purchased and repairs were made.
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Not pretty but I have seen worse.
 
Going back to the original photo, I have a couple of "Why" questions for that installer (which, in reality, can't really be answered unless you're inside the very head of the person who did the work). But here goes anyway :
  1. Why would you cut a square hole in the panel cover ? Technically, you can't remove the cover and lay it down on its side
  2. Why wouldn't you have cut the panel cover straight down to the bottom so you could easily and completely remove the cover?
  3. If you had it in your mind to cut a hole why wouldn't you use a hole saw and make a round hole ? It's obvious you weren't an electrician otherwise you would have had a knock-out punch.
  4. If you were going to make a round hole why wouldn't you make it trade size so you could use a fitting ?
  5. Why did you remove the greenfield that came with the transfer switch panel ?
  6. If you removed the greenfield why wouldn't you sleeve the wires so that at least it would give SOME protection while passing through the panel cover ?
  7. Why did you do the job in the first place ? Were you looking to save a few $$ ?
 
cowboyjwc said:
Well bad inspectors are just as bad as bad contractors. If what you see where you live is that awful, then you have a real problem and it should be addressed with the local jurisdiction(s).
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My area is plagued by endemic corruption. That's why things are the way they are. Complaining to a local jurisdiction is not going to do a thing.

Remember also that what you might consider "hack" work, is simply work you wouldn't do, that doesn't mean it's not code compliant. Pretty doesn't mean better, just means different.
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No, it really is hack work.
 
peter d said:
My area is plagued by endemic corruption. That's why things are the way they are. Complaining to a local jurisdiction is not going to do a thing.
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Until some organization of professionals comes together as a group to complain nothing will happen. An individual complaining here and there is just a pesky mosquito that gets swatted and forgotten about.
 
kwired said:
Until some organization of professionals comes together as a group to complain nothing will happen. An individual complaining here and there is just a pesky mosquito that gets swatted and forgotten about.
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The contractors are beneficiaries of the corruption, they surely aren't going to try to change something that benefits them.
 
peter d said:
The contractors are beneficiaries of the corruption, they surely aren't going to try to change something that benefits them.
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I guess most EC's around here are decent enough people I wouldn't call them part of such a problem. We all want fairness and consistency from electrical inspectors.
 
kwired said:
An individual complaining here and there is just a pesky mosquito that gets swatted and forgotten about.
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Interesting analogy. That's exactly what I feel like when I deal with some of the municipalities and inspectors in my area. I'm tired of some of the demands they put on contractors like "we inspect on mondays and thursdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM". Everyone has cell phones these days. Why can't they call an hour before they get to you ? I've often wanted to file a complaint with the State but I still have a few years before I fade out. Who knows, maybe one day I'll go down in flames and file that complaint.:cool:
 
kwired said:
I guess most EC's around here are decent enough people I wouldn't call them part of such a problem. We all want fairness and consistency from electrical inspectors.
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I'm just describing how things are out there in the real world in some places. I think some people have an overly idealistic view of the inspection process.
 
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