What happened with the construction?

[shafty85]

After reading this thread, I felt compelled to learn what doxxing is - my life is no better off for having learned this term.

As TJ mentioned - no one wants oversight until things go wrong, especially with respect to permitting. My favorite response from contractors regarding a structure is "this place will never fall down" - I've yet to confirm if this implies that structures they build without engineering are typically in danger of falling down.

[fastfred]

Unfortunately, there are as many shitty contractors as there are good ones. I've seen some crazy double-face-palm level stuff.

Yeah, a lot of permitting is bullshit... but then when some building falls down (or a bridge collapses) and kills a bunch of people, suddenly everyone thinks there should be more oversight.

shitty contractors....................
sure man
permits are bullshit, gov't over bearing nanny state
most of inspectors don't know shit
if you need help always have your friend cash in an envelope and if your hot tubbing bring alcohol

[TahoeJ]

I do think those of us who live in earthquake country have a different perspective on permitting and building inspectors. Sheer walls and using the exact correct epoxy as specified by the structural engineer and other things like that actually matter. In some cases you have to have the inspector watch the contractor squeeze it in - since the correct tubes of some of that stuff can be extremely expensive and it's absolutely something a shady contractor would skimp on.

[dunfree]

clients get the job they pay and oversee for.

building permits and standards have a role in life, but that won't stop LWS and his knee jerk milennial libertarian bullshit virtue signalling.

[Slopetime]

shitty contractors....................
sure man
permits are bullshit, gov't over bearing nanny state
most of inspectors don't know shit
if you need help always have your friend cash in an envelope and if your hot tubbing bring alcohol

Permits are most certainly NOT bullshit. Too many contractors, developers, owners, and architects would cut a corner to increase profit in far too many instances.

I'd agree many younger inspectors often don't know shit (older less educated inspectors as well), but when it comes to structural issues, having homes engineered and stamped is the only way it should be done. There's no bullshit nanny state going on there. That's gov'ts proper role.

I've had contractors ask me to give them structural solutions that wouldn't work in the long run. Ceilings would crack, floors would bounce, etc.

[Slopetime]

I do think those of us who live in earthquake country have a different perspective on permitting and building inspectors. Sheer walls and using the exact correct epoxy as specified by the structural engineer and other things like that actually matter. In some cases you have to have the inspector watch the contractor squeeze it in - since the correct tubes of some of that stuff can be extremely expensive and it's absolutely something a shady contractor would skimp on.

Hell yes, I've caught contractors trying to omit details and proper installation methods on more than one occasion right up from the footings in the ground.

[TAFKALVS]

I'm all for permits if:
1.) They are free. I'm planning on building a shop and the permit will be $1400. If I were to build a modest house (say 1500 sq ft) the permit would be over $2000. I don't think that is fair. That seems like a tax.
2.) There is a clear cut (and free) appeal process for all land use and permitting decisions. There should be a layer of transparency and accountability that currently doesn't exist.
3.) The permitting process only covers health and safety and is highly objective.
4.) Any fines, fees or penalties are assessed by an elected judge after a court hearing. Not some building inspector slapping someone with some giant daily fine for non-compliance and sending them a letter.

I have seen my local county use permits to hurt people and businesses that the commissioner or their family members don't approve of. I think zoning/permit reform is right up there with prison reform in terms of importance.

[dunfree]

I'm all for permits if:
1.) They are free.

why should everyone else subsidize new construction via tax dollars? Everything costs something, you can't be a libertarian or believe in markets if you think shit should be "free".

i realize you don't actually want to debate this, but comeon. Shit should be free for you? gimme a fucking break.

[TahoeJ]

^^ Yep.

They can't be free if you're going to employ a staff to oversee it. And anyone who doesn't think it's necessary has no idea some of the crazy (and unsafe) stuff that applicants submit.

[shafty85]

^ My references are from a Canadian perspective, so I'm unsure if they apply, but...

1) there is a cost to having people review things. Free ain't going to happen. I don't know how municipalities/jurisdictions/etc determine their costs - I assume, like most governmental things, it is inflated. Part of life, move on.
2) I agree that there should be more transparency and accountability regarding not only the process and fees but also what the standards are - these can vary even within a jurisdiction, leaving contractors, owners, etc guessing as to what requirements will be.
3) What more should they cover than health and safety? Do you mean subjective? The rules should be objective, the same for everyone and easily obtainable to determine what the local requirements are. Again, this is not always the case.
4) No comment, this is different than up here.

[glademaster]

Not that it will change any minds at this point (my own unapologetic one included), but El Chup did post the name of the street that bisects the property Dipshit is building on. There aren't too many lots like that out there. The county he lives in has an online map with a pin at every address with an issued or pending permit. It took me about 12 seconds and 2 mouse clicks to pull up the (public) record of the permits on the lot in question. My comment about the perc test was a summary of the back-and-forth between the Engineering reviewer, and the septic designer (comments and responses, which are also public record). All of the info I actually bothered to look up took me a grand total of about 5 minutes to find, and didn't involve any special municipal worker handshakes.

You guys should walk into your local Building and Planning Departments sometime to see just how much information they'll give you about any property in their jurisdiction, in most cases without even asking for your name.

In my previous jurisdiction, we would sit down with a roll of plans, a stack of application documents, and a random person who walked in off the street with questions about a property and sometimes spend an hour explaining details of what is being proposed, or what has been approved. Short of getting copies of anything signed or stamped, it's all out there in the open, and you don't even need to know an address: people who came in and pointed to a spot on our GIS system got the same info.

If you're going to let me get your panties that bunched up, at least let me gag you with 'em.

ETA: If you own real property, the jurisdiction you live in will give a whole lot of your information out to anyone who walks into their office, so if that makes your uncomfortable, you should probably set up an LLC through which you own your property.

[Micol]

Attachment 251135

flowing alpy doxxed me. True story.

uuhhmmm
2 things wrong here
1)day ticket
2) you can see it

[babybear]

uuhhmmm
2 things wrong here
1)day ticket
2) you can see it

[TAFKALVS]

^super true, one of the many reasons I do it, besides the fact I'm not a pass holder at LOT 4.

[Micol]

my last and or most memorable interactions with building depts, engineering depts, p&z, etc:

(#1-#4 for the most part always hard assed , unapologetic, threatening diks)

1) received a posted stop work order on a lot for no excavation permit. i had cut deadfall on the ground on a big downslope lot and hauled all the wood to street level with a bobcat. engineering dept said: "i saw stumps, you cant pop stumps" all stumps were from trees cut 20+ years ago that the bobcat popped out of the ground while moving over them. I asked if inspector saw any fresh dug out stumps, "yes" meet me there then....all were 20 yrs+ old, he said ok never mind youre ok

2) engineering dept said no driveway on this road, cant use roughed in driveway that has been in place for 30 years and actually had a drain tile built into it from the county that they needed, not me, and it had no easement or right of way to be there. "we will not give you a variance for the drive way. "I will seek a variance" "no one has ever done that", "well I am", on to county commission, 1 year , 1 lawyer, 1 engineer, studies, $15k , and my own 40 page powerpoint presentation, I won .....for a frikken drive way that was already there.....and those dept's all looked like petty fool jongs

3) same engineers from #1 approved a silt fence 6 doors down that was put in backwards...i took pictures of their sign off, the fence, and laughed....lol

4) a former 8 year building dept veteran turned home inspector 1) wrote up a non working indoor jacuzzi tub - big switch on wall with label machined lettering that said turn this on before pressing on button in tub....lol......2nd) said no GFi on three sink recepticles, originally built in 1984, all were on a homerun gfi'd circuit at the panel and grandfathered....lol.....i could go on......

5) building 30,000 sf footprint garden style, 42 units per building, affordable housing, new construction to be govt owned.... inspectors hardly ever came to the site except for finals and never failed to sign off first time on anything. .....friendliest fuckers ever.....lol felt like i could have gotten away with murder.....needless to say, calls were made (inter govt), this project was smoozed in by their own people from the getgo..... are you fukkin kiddin me??

no need to wonder why these departments are frowned up on by both professionals and public

[shafty85]

^ Were those people actually engineers? Just curious - the term gets thrown around often for people who are not actually engineers.

[Micol]

^ Were those people actually engineers? Just curious - the term gets thrown around often for people who are not actually engineers.

that dept had 3 "engineers" one of them was the head of the dept. I looked up the other 2 and all were licensed engineers, however ones main experience prior to joining the dept on linkedin was slump tests

[char_]

I'll believe contractors don't need to be inspected when people with 20+ years of experience stop trying to slip shit past inspectors. Happens every week. Even with the good contractors.

[ill-advised strategy]

In some cases you have to have the inspector watch the contractor squeeze it in.

Friggin epoxy cucks is what they are.

[tbssux]

Attachment 251135

flowing alpy doxxed me. True story.

You look like a poser who probably framed this photo.

[dunfree]

artisan beard cream merchants need suckers to sell their overpriced shit to, too.

[tbssux]

Confident stare into camera? Check.
Flannel shirt? Check.
Beard trimmed and moisturized? Check.
Pre polished Bern helmet? Check.
Ready to go do some pole whacking on the gnarly l'internationale cornice. And maybe some more photos.

[TAFKALVS]

I've never used beard oil, seems like a gimmick.

[bodywhomper]

Adding a data point, I’ve been involved on a project where permits were all pulled, inspected , and approved followed by shit hitting the fan in major ways because contractor and inspector fucked up. Health of many and $millions$ at stake.

[Timberridge]

Attachment 251135

flowing alpy doxxed me. True story.

You look like the Great Gazoo