Mind-boggling stupidity of building departments

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by URY914

On my workshop addition I had the inspector give me conflicting info on two separate inspections. I carefully reminded him but I still had to change something. Not a big deal but you do need to be careful and do as told.

I had the same problem, before they poured the concrete, the inspector came out to check the distance from the property line, everything was staked out, after it was poured, he came back and told me that I had to MOVE IT OVER ANOTHER 3 FEE

Yes, I had to redo it, but fortunately he didn't make me tear out the 3 foot of concrete and now have a sidewalk next to my building between the fence

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by Icemaster

Do you think they knowingly do this just to screw with people? I mean, cue the image of them sitting in the breakroom over coffee twisting mustaches "What can we throw at them today just for laughs...?"

Or are they really that obtuse?

I've wondered what motivates them for years. I can't figure them out.

[look 171]

Over the years, I learned that its just easier to give then what they want rather then sit there and reason with them. Cheaper in the long run and keep my blood pressure low unless its something drastic. I am dealing with the county now. Planning wants this but the other dept said no so I know they aren't working really hard to solve this due to working on line at home so I know most are just hanging out not doing siht. In the mean time, I am waiting.

Then there are the field inspector. I learn not to piss off those guys because they are like kids, have an axe to grind and they remember to make your life hell over little things like no caulking around the bottom of toilet.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by ckissick

But what is a vegetable garden detail supposed to look like?

I can't say for sure, but I am pretty sure that it should include Bugs Bunny munching on a carrot.

And what do I say about a contractor's largest truck when a contractor hasn't even been hired yet?

I'm supposed to put porta-potties on my plans. One of my jobs got red-tagged because the contractor put the porta-potty in a place that did not match my plan.

BTW, most municipalities around here hire private companies to review plans, and they get paid by the comment. That answers a lot. There can be five rounds of comments over a two-year period. They usually make far more money reviewing my plans than I do preparing and revising them. It's racket.

I have a friend who built two houses in our town. Both permits took 8 years to obtain. He's a documentarian and is starting on a new project. Can you guess the topic?

Wow, serious racket. It's like the LEO stuff in some states where if they find something criminal, they can impound stuff and keep the proceeds.

That's a swamp that needs to be drained for sure.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by URY914

On my workshop addition I had the inspector give me conflicting info on two separate inspections. I carefully reminded him but I still had to change something. Not a big deal but you do need to be careful and do as told.

Sounds to me like body cams are the way to go when dealing with inspectors.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Icemaster

Do you think they knowingly do this just to screw with people? I mean, cue the image of them sitting in the breakroom over coffee twisting mustaches "What can we throw at them today just for laughs...?"

Or are they really that obtuse?

I haven't had to deal with them, but based on my experience with people over the years, I'm going to say that the answer is

"Yes!"

I suspect that it's a combination of varying degrees the two, and probably not the same combination or degrees with the same guy every time.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Over the years, I learned that its just easier to give then what they want rather then sit there and reason with them. Cheaper in the long run and keep my blood pressure low unless its something drastic. I am dealing with the county now. Planning wants this but the other dept said no so I know they aren't working really hard to solve this due to working on line at home so I know most are just hanging out not doing siht. In the mean time, I am waiting.

Then there are the field inspector. I learn not to piss off those guys because they are like kids, have an axe to grind and they remember to make your life hell over little things like no caulking around the bottom of toilet.

It's surprising that there aren't more dead inspectors.

"I dunno, Bob never came back to the office. He's the 8th guy this year to disappear."

[URY914]

Somewhere there is a building inspectors forum were they trade ideas and laugh at what they can make people do.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by masraum

It's surprising that there aren't more dead inspectors.

"I dunno, Bob never came back to the office. He's the 8th guy this year to disappear."

Many have gone missing but there are only so many bodies that we can use as fill in the concrete foundations holding up someone's home. Remember, I still have to build a quality home that will hold up even if its with old, beaten up inspectors.

[flatbutt]

When I drew up plans to add a shed dormer to my one story cottage I designed it to rise straight up from the first floor which was more than adequate to take the weight.

The building dept. told me I needed to step the sidewalls in one foot...make the dormer sit inside the ground floor walls. "Why?" sez I. They say having the second floor walls the same width as the first floor constituted encroachment of the property line. "Huh?" sez I.

They wouldn't issue the permits until I redesigned it. Quite baffling.

[aap1966]

The land I built my current house on was previously on a '1 in 100 year' flood plain. New council (local authority) drainage works changed that, and the council flood status was entirely cancelled.
But.........
the Drainage Works section of council had not informed the Building Approvals section of council.
Building Approvals would not pass my house plans without sign off from Drainage Works,
Drainage Works refused to sign off as they had no jurisdiction for a property not in a 'flood plain' area.

I eventually met with the head of Drainage (surprisingly reasonable guy who I suspect thought as much of Building Approvals as I was beginning to) who sent me paperwork stating that as long as the 'Livable house floor' was raised by at least 1 mm (0.04 inch) above mean ground level, the house was 'flood approved'.

[thor66]

Originally Posted by ckissick

I have to be nice, or they'll make my life hell. I try to answer them if possible, but I try to insert sarcasm in my response letters. I can't help it.

But what is a vegetable garden detail supposed to look like? And what do I say about a contractor's largest truck when a contractor hasn't even been hired yet?

I'm supposed to put porta-potties on my plans. One of my jobs got red-tagged because the contractor put the porta-potty in a place that did not match my plan.

BTW, most municipalities around here hire private companies to review plans, and they get paid by the comment. That answers a lot. There can be five rounds of comments over a two-year period. They usually make far more money reviewing my plans than I do preparing and revising them. It's racket.

I have a friend who built two houses in our town. Both permits took 8 years to obtain. He's a documentarian and is starting on a new project. Can you guess the topic?

Ask them if there are any exceptions for rutabagas

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by gregpark

^ most building inspectors are ex contractors who couldn't make it

This... big time

[HardDrive]

We had to replace our underground electric in Seattle. It was a large trenching job, so they required us to get an 'engineering' drawing from their planning department. It took like 6 weeks. What we got, looked like a 8 year old drew it in MS paint. No elevations (this was extremely step terrain), no indication of other utilities(the area was riddled with telecom fiber/cable), nothing to indicate vegetation or sidewalks. I kid you not, like 15 minutes of drawing some lines. The cost of this masterpiece? $2000.

[yellowline]

Originally Posted by ckissick

. The reviewer asked me to include in my civil plans the largest size of trucks and other equipment that will be used on the job (building a house). He also asked to create a separate plan showing travel routes that supply trucks will take to the job site. How would anyone know these things? I deal with this crap every day. As I said, it's mind-boggling.

Perhaps the rationale is to limit truck traffic, Jake brakes, etc. from thru traffic in a residential area? The town probably has to deal with residents who complain about stuff like that, too.

Worse yet, if a concrete truck going 26 in a 25, or using a street posted for No Trucks, caused an accident or hit a kid, I can see someone arguing the town is somehow liable for not getting a plan.

I’m not suggesting they are right for asking the engineer to answer for delivery routes, but a CYA mindset can explain a lot of stupid requests.

[HardDrive]

Or the plumbing inspector in Seattle who told me to install a tankless water heater on the wall within 18 inches of the ceiling. He signed off on the VERY specific drawing that showed the location. When he came out to inspect, he said it could not be that close. I pointed out that he said it could be there, and he said, "well, it can't".

I was livid. I asked him, if I removed the ceiling above it, would he pass it (it would then we open to the attic above). He said yes. I got up there with a sawzall, and hacked our a perfect box the shape of the space heater above it. Blown insulation came raining down. He quietly signed off and left. I think he could tell I was becoming unhinged.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by yellowline

Perhaps the rationale is to limit truck traffic, Jake brakes, etc. from thru traffic in a residential area? The town probably has to deal with residents who complain about stuff like that, too.

Worse yet, if a concrete truck going 26 in a 25, or using a street posted for No Trucks, caused an accident or hit a kid, I can see someone arguing the town is somehow liable for not getting a plan.

I’m not suggesting they are right for asking the engineer to answer for delivery routes, but a CYA mindset can explain a lot of stupid requests.

Our litigious society is at least partially to blame. I can’t blame a city for leaning on a builder to do extra work if it keeps the city out of court.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Or the plumbing inspector in Seattle who told me to installed a tankless water heater on the wall within 18 inches of the ceiling. He signed off the on the VERY specific drawing that showed the location. When he came out to inspect, he said it could not be the close. I pointed out that he said he could be there, and he said, "well, it can't".

I was livid. I asked him, if I removed the ceiling above it, would he pass it (it would then we open to the attic above). He said yes. I got up there with a sawzall, and hacked our a perfect box the shape of the space heater above it. Blown insulation came raining down. He quietly signed off and left. I think he could tell I was becoming unhinged.

Were you looking at him kind of funny while still holding the sawzall, and did it have a crazy blade on it that looked big enough to dismember a body?

[uncle_scott]

The post below was written on the heels of a stressful day, and wasn’t as effective as it could have been. Woke up this morning wishing I’d have said nothing at all.

It’s fun to harp on the guys over the planning/engineering counter, but as a City and County Planner for the past 15 years, you all should see the ridiculous garbage that routinely comes in as “drawings and “plans”. Literal back of the napkin drawings being submitted with an explanation of “we have been doing it like this for years...” I tell you what, you want to sail through your review quickly and easily? Then read the ordinance. I promise it’s all there, it’s written in a way that some ‘godly’ engineer should be able to understand. Your crappy plan submittals are to blame for your long review times.

Also, often times those code requirements are to cover the backsides of the city who has to own and maintain those utilities and other public infrastructure for years. Regarding the comment, “he made me redo it because of...x...”. Well, put yourself in their shoes. Is 1/4” too much out of spec? Maybe or maybe not. Is 3 feet too far? Yes. Someone has to make a call, and then that planning department has to live with those decisions forever. Because I’ll tell you what, memories are long, and if Joe Neighbor got away with, then “why can’t I??!?!” I can’t tell you the number of times some pissed off developer has complained to their friend on the City Council or to the Mayor because I’m being mean to them. I tell that guy to go f**k them self.

Read the code. Draw the plans to spec. Build your project to match the plans. Your life will be easier.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by uncle_scott

It’s fun to harp on the guys over the planning/engineering counter, but as a City and County Planner for the past 15 years, you all should see the ridiculous garbage that routinely comes in as “drawings and “plans”. Literal back of the napkin drawings being submitted with an explanation of “we have been doing it like this for years...” I tell you what, you want to sail through your review quickly and easily? Then read the ordinance. I promise it’s all there, it’s written in a way that some ‘godly’ engineer should be able to understand. Your crappy plan submittals are to blame for your long review times.

Also, often times those code requirements are to cover the backsides of the city who has to own and maintain those utilities and other public infrastructure for years. Regarding the comment, “he made me redo it because of...x...”. Well, put yourself in their shoes. Is 1/4” too much out of spec? Maybe or maybe not. Is 3 feet too far? Yes. Someone has to make a call, and then that planning department has to live with those decisions forever. Because I’ll tell you what, memories are long, and if Joe Neighbor got away with, then “why can’t I??!?!” I can’t tell you the number of times some pissed off developer has complained to their friend on the City Council or to the Mayor because I’m being mean to them. I tell that guy to go f**k them self.

Read the code. Draw the plans to spec. Build your project to match the plans. Your life will be easier.

So I get all these asinine comments because I prepare crappy plans? I don't prepare crappy plans. Or must good plans also include a detail for a vegetable garden? You really tell developers trying to get a permit to f**k themselves? Nice.