The New Inspector

joasis

Well guys, here is a winner: Our little community, to leap into the 21st century, is considering contracting with an ICC certified inspector. I had a chance to ask him a few questions and here are some things this guy will do for us in the future:

All steel buildings, not just public use buildings, will have a complete set of prints, with connection details, concrete detail, steel data, typical steel sectionals, ect, ect, ect....and an independent engineer's stamp, as well as the manufacturers in house engineering seals. So Joe Blow's backyard 30X40X10 workshop garage will cost $4000 more in fees....I asked the guy if he understood a pre-engineered concept, one size fits all, building over designed to save money, and his response was simple...if he is the inspector, it won't go, PERIOD. Now guys, I know how the big cities work, but my market is 4000 population...and our buildings exceed IBC and ANSI by a lot. Public use buildings?..sure, we get full engineering...but not private use buildings. He even went so far as wanting steel sections of weldments for examination....

On home construction, he wants 2x4 walls to meet the energy requirements of IRC to the letter, his interpitation is r-13 insulation, regardless if we put insulated siding and a wrap....for a whole value of r-20 or better, he wants r-13 in the wall cavities...jeez.... R-11 and the siding won't cut it.

On less expensive spec homes, we typically can use engineered trusses on 6 or 8 ft centers, and run purlin between the top chords on edge, also by engineering, and install foil back insulation with 26 gauge steel roof panels...ceiling joists go in the same way, 5/8 rock, trusses engineered for the loads as if they are in a clear span, but in reality, interior walls "catch" the loading. This guys wants the same independent engineering, not just once, but on EVERY home we build, because he just doesn't think we are doing it right... Explaing math and engineering to this guy, roof loading, dead and live loads don't mean a thing...if it doesn't spell it out in IRC 2003 for him, it just ain't happening. Oh yeah, he wants all roofs decked, even if IRC says my install is covered under the provisions of steel roofing installation. I bet this clown could not interpet the tables in IRC.

I told our city council, if they hire this clown, we will cease building badly needed housing here and leave it to the custom builder in town (175k and up custom homes) and kill the market on 75k 1200 sq/ft homes. Did I mention that this independent inspector was recomended by the new custom builder in town?

My state inspectors like the homes I build, we use top quality windows and siding, name brand hvac, solid wood cabinets, ect, ect....and they think this jerk is a real winner...but once our city hires him, the only thing our state inspectors can do is respond to complaints dealing with the trade guys, and will have no say so over the municiple code...

Sad thing is, we would have to literally go to court to beat this until he quits or the city tires of the lawsuits, and life is too short...I think inspectors are important, When we build and the lender requires it, we hire an inspector, and these guys a not hard to work with, make suggestions that I don't always agree with, but we do the best to comply. We have state inspectors drop by frequently, and I always listen to their advice. So in other words, we have nothing to fear or hide from the inspectors, but this jerk is out to proove, he can make me quit building in this town, unless I do it his way...and cost the firct time lower income home buyer the chance to buy a new home. Thoughts?

RobertCDF

My only thought is... I wish I could buy a 1200 sq ft home for 75K! Around here a 800 SQ FT. "apartment/townhome" (they used to be apartments but now they are selling them off as townhomes") go for over $120,000

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

joasis

All in the market. I just bought 3 building lots for 10k. This isn't a new developement, but where houses used to be and the area is older homes....the framing packages run $14 a ft, so you can see, we are making a few bucks.

maj

There was a post from someone not to long ago (I don't remember from who or which thread) but,The fella was an old carpenter who was stating how things just aren't like they used to be. 30 years ago (and longer) a carpenter could build for anyone on a handshake, and build a quality house. Hell, they're all still standing and people are living in them just fine without problems, sure a few roofs might be sagging a little, but my old body ain't what it used to be either!

I think all the codes, inspections, and licensing requirements, for the most part, are a good thing. The problem is with how our society has become so sue happy. I mean, if I spilled coffee on my lap at McDonalds, I would chalk it up as clumsiness on my part. I wouldn't sue MickeyD's for having their coffee too hot!I believe this is why so many of the heavy populated states such as Cali. need the "officials" to try to govern the riff-raff (scabs) that influx the big cities to make it rich.

Fortunately for alot of the smaller communities this isn't a big problem.........YET. We still can, for the most part, agree on things with a handshake.We still value our neighbors honesty, integrity and morals.

Unfortunately, I think small town USA will have to conform to LARGE town USA's rules and regulations. Joasis, I think this is what you are experiencing in your town. Even though the state inspectors know your work and approve of your building techniques, the new guy thinks he needs to come in to prove his "wealth" of knowledge and "show" you how things are "supposed" to be done. It doesn't matter that we've been doing it this way for years, and the past city/county/ state inspectors have already approved our building practices, "This is the way it will be from now on!".

The sad part is that we have built our trade/business on reputation of quality and now the new guy who makes the rules is in charge of how we build. The customers/homeowners are the ones getting screwed because you know as well as I that we're not going to eat that extra cost. We already build WAAAAY too cheap according to everyone else on this board.

joasis

My wife and I gave serious thought to relocating to the gulf coast after Katrina. Just pick up and go. My own guys and my main sub were willing...heck, for the rates that are prevelant there, I could retire in 5 or 10 years. Here, we make a living..we are not getting rich, and if you try the rates from other areas here, you will have a lot of time on your hands to contemplate.
Some things are comparable, some are not. One of the major factors in less expensive homes is the lot price. When I am looking at a small spec home, $2 a sq/ft of the home's price is in the lot, not $12 and up. Framing here is about the same as most, with $4.25 and up being standard. Some framers do the garage as a "freebie" and charge based on the living area. Drywalling goes for an average of .20 cents a foot. Taping, bed, and texture run a buck a foot. Plumbing and electric kick in a $3 pr/ft. My masonry contractor charges $375 a thousand, concrete is $85 a yard, flatwork runs a $1 a sq/ft labor.
So, you guys reading this can tell where the bucks are. I know of builders doing custom homes and carrying the project, who will have around $75 a sq/ft. in and sell at $105. Now that is a profit line. They will quote a whole number to a customer, and if it goes, they are hitting a lick.