Why are people jerks?
 

As a geotechnical/civil engineer working for people building houses, I deal with planning and building departments every day. 95% of the people who work there are total jerks. And stupid, besides. They make me do things that make no engineering sense. They delay projects needlessly for years, costing the property owner tens of thousands of dollars. They try to make properties unbuildable by coming up with nonsensical and impossible demands. When confronted with complaints of causing possible bankruptcies and divorces (yes, these happen), they invariably say, "That's not my problem".

I can never figure out their mindset. They're supposed to help people through the process of getting their dream home built. Instead, they try to thwart you every step of the way, for no good reason. And they seem delighted to do so. I just don't get it.

One word: ego

If city hall was efficient then 90% of their jobs would disappear. It's a make work atmosphere without oversight.

It is because they are unhappy and they are under the misapprehension that if they make someone else unhappy, they will be less unhappy.

A lawyer once told me that not very successful lawyers take a judge's job. I don't know of the truth in that. A contractor once told me that not very successful contractors would become an inspector.
And engineers in planning, and so on.

There is no risk working for the government. And can you imagine the environment? All these not too successful types trying to work together doing the same back stabbing of the corporate world. Well, in the corporate world you succeed or move on. That could mean you're the best backstabber, IDK. I was BS'd a couple of times and I almost killed the person. I certainly moved on. To my own business and been there for 50 years. No jerks allowed, customer or worker. I've run off quite a few of both.

The funny thing to me about building and planning departments is that most in those departments don't know much about building or planning. It's a power trip. "I can shut you down in a minute if I want to". My favorites are the electrical and hvac inspectors that have never been an HVAC technician or Electrician.

I closed my business down two years ago - but officially last year.

Meaning I dropped all licenses, insurance, etc.

The city here sent me a business license renewal by email (they call it a tax) so I responded informing them I retired.

The reply I got was they needed to know "the Business ID number or the address location where your business is so that I can close the account."

Let me get this straight. I reply to your email and you need me to provide you with information you already have on file somewhere?

Never mind the fact that once I let my business insurance go they sent notices out to the city and county informing them I no longer have insurance with them. So they no longer have a COI on file from me (something they require of all businesses) but are asking me to send in money to renew my license.

Point being - they are royally disorganized.

No wonder our government is in debt.

Ckissick, you are in Ca somewhere, right?

Don't get me started. I have a house with its roof opened up in Feb, or March. I pleaded with the person behind the counter over the phone about getting us a permit to install sheathing and roofing. his answer was a stern, NO. I told him rain is coming and what do we do to keep the place dry due to covid 19 since you aren't taking any permits. His answer was: That's your problem, not mine. I asked him for the number of the inspector so I can have a chat with him about closing to protect the 1940's Quarter sawn White Oak floor. He demans that we don't do anything without permit and he's going to flag the job and stop us from moving forward. Fook him, The owner and I decided to sheath it and close it up but it was too late. The rain drown 35k worth of perfect flooring. Man, do I have story but it would bored you guys to death. A few are actual pretty good, most are jerks knowing they can't be fired or their job is really secure. I found smaller cities are a bit easier to deal with.

They only want their money, that's all. Every cities I pull a permit wants a piece of the pie. Tall you about it later. Got to run to market for wife.

Paraphrasing what I read in a business book once

"I believe people are born optimist, then life beats that out of them."

Or the other one I read.

They dont want to hear your opinion. They want to hear their opinion come out of your mouth.

I'm working with an arctiteck ;) to design an addition on the house, hopefully the GC will deal with all the inspector BS and I won't have to get involved. No patience for that sort of nonsense.

Tobra nailed it.

Unfortunately, the people that populate planning offices, the DMV, social services and similar are generally not movers and shakers. They are attracted to order, process, and a weird love of red-tape.

It is some genetic subset of humanity that resides in a cubical and takes pleasure from over enforcement of rules.

I am very sympathetic to your situation. YUCK.

I was kind of shocked a few weeks ago . I waltzed into our township building wanting a building permit .
2 days, and $30.00 later, I walked out with a permit, and all the information I needed . No inspections needed as my structure is under 1000 sq ft. The guy was nothing but polite, and helpful .
I was dreading this because of all the problems I had with the old zoning officer . The guy actually sent the police to lock me out of my own building,and tried to railroad the opening of my business in any he could .
I fought this ******* for almost 2 years. I fought hard. I think , at one point I told him he would have to kill me to keep me out of my own place. He would come in, and write down license plate numbers to try to prove I was operating a business without his approval . I aksed him to leave more than one time . For some reason, he lost his job, They got a new zoning officer, and all my problems went away , poof like that . I got my occupancy permit a few weeks later .
I always knew it was just him .My place was built as an auto repair facility, was always an auto repair facility, it was an approved use, and was grandfathered . This guy just wanted to be difficult
Then, I went to hang my sign. It was 4x8. $150.00 for a sign permit, but they did not allow those dimensions , Only 4x6 . I had to apply for a variance, and go through the township planning meetings, again. All to hang, a non lighted sign, on the wall of my block garage.
I think I told them, thank you, Ill just roll without a sign . I had it bolted to my inside shop wall for the last 20 years . I just hung it early this summer. No permit . I bet no one ever notices. I've been paying taxes here for 20 years now , for 2 properties. Im done asking for permission .
Those were some really stressful times for me

That's his job, not yours. You write the checks and decide if the color of the curtains matches the outdoor love seats.:D No payment without passing rough inspections and no final payment after final inspection until all items are corrected after punch list. Make sure this sentence is on there:

Contractor shall commerce the work no later than *** working days after architectural and engineering drawings has been approved and stamped by the City of ****** Building and Planning department, the signing of this Agreement and shall complete the work no later then **** working days thereafter.

Should the contractor be delayed in completing the work by circumstances beyond his control, the time of the completion shall be extended for such time lost.

The actual Cost of the Work shall constitute the Guaranteed Maximum Price of TWO******* DOLLARS AND NO CENTS.

$ 2******.00

In the event the Contractor shall produce the work in excess of the Guaranteed Maximum Price, the Contractor shall pay 100% of the excess out of his own

funds.

Good luck, it should be a fun and enjoyable process

The city I worked for sold their old computers at a public auction back in the late '80's. I bought one that came from the Building Dept.

Computer had not been wiped and I found a memo from Dept head to the Inspectors: It said that due to the current economy, revenue was down. It mentioned a large Business Park Complex. Memo directed inspectors to approve nothing and always find something wrong. They were to keep returning for increased fees until directed otherwise......Sad.

Cabmando correctly answered your question, or at least, how it applies to the numbnuts that you describe in your post.

Many years ago, I worked at a retail auto-parts store. For a while, I worked for a guy who would get the paychecks in on Wed, and then hold them in his office for a period of time. Eventually, sometimes after a minute, sometimes after a few hours, he would hand them out. I always thought that was odd (that he'd sometimes wait) since he knew that us low paid hourly grunts were dying to see them. One day a new guy asked why he was holding them. I told the new guy something to the effect of "he's doing that just to screw with us," but in a voice loud enough so the mgr could hear it. He threatened "Keep that up and I'll hold your check until Fri!" (the checks were dated Fri, but we'd get them on Wed and just couldn't deposit them until Fri.)

A year and a half later, I was being groomed to be a store manager and was sent back to that guys store for "mgmt training." In one of the first "classes" he said something like, "you need to think about why you want to be a manager. I like the power."

I was really confused for a bit trying to figure out WTF he was trying to say, then it clicked, he meant "power" like power over the employees and whatever power he thought a store manager had. It was VERY hard not to laugh out loud and to keep a straight face. I will NEVER forget that. (because it seemed so ridiculous)

I was a store manager, and I didn't feel powerful at all. I felt more like a puppet being jerked around by a bigger twat. I'm so glad that I got out of retail.

Siht Freddy, if you live here, they would ripped you a new one. They fine you for having a small banner or an A stand, those little board on the sidewalk. (Hey but BLM can have a fooking desk and chairs daily and no one says a thing? I know, I am dipping my toes in parf again) We have inspector driving around looking for stuff like signage and such. My mother got a cited for 80 bucks having her hedge about 4" taller them her window sill. Neighbor got it for having a certain percentage of their lawn brown. Some nasty places but at the end, its good because it keeps people with their upkeep. But sometimes, they can get carried away.

True. In 1989/90 the company I worked for got over 900 geotechnical reports to review for houses that were destroyed in the Loma Prieta earthquake. Santa Cruz County couldn't handle the workload, so a bunch of us at the company spent the next few weeks reviewing reports. We had to be lenient, as the owners were essentially homeless and desperate to get their homes built. One guy in our office had worked for the Corps of Engineers but then got a job at our private company. And yes, he was a jerk. He approved of nothing. If there was a typo, he would reject it. He was the only person I remember who openly hated me. Because I was easy going and too easy on the customers. He thought I was a fool and a sucker. He didn't last long; he got a job at the Corps again. I no longer had a nemesis and life became boring again.

Eff that, you need to move.

I love Cali an the left coast, but no fargin way in hell that I'd live there. It's a nice place to visit.

The guy who can smile while sticking it in is the guy who succeeds.

They are only there for their own advancement..and could care less if the co goes bk. -