# Inspectors around here . . .



## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

I had a customer ask me to buy their permit for their "addition" basically turning an unconditioned attic space into a master bed/bath suite and they are taking charge of the project themselves.

I told them that they probably need more than just the plumbing permit. Long story short, they got their own permit, and I finished up the rough yesterday and told them to call for an inspection.

I use a boiler drain attached to a tee with a 30# gauge and a fernco coupling to attach it to a 1-1/2 drain line to simulate 10' head on the system. I pressurize slab drains with water. Anyway, this one is complete above floor and through the roof, so I filled it until the vent overflowed water onto the roof using my filling device.

Well, the inspector showed up and the first thing he told them was that the waste lines didn't have any air in them. So I'm getting these panicked calls and all he had to do was tap on the pipe with a car key or something and it would be obvious that it's full if he's ever inspected plumbing in his life On top of that, I told the homeowners the previous day that it was full of water. 
:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:

Adding a half hour to the bill for dealing with that nonsense. Don't waste my time.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Wow.


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

PVC I assume? I don’t think the manufacturers want their product tested with air pressure. An inspector should know that.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

inspectors inspect because they cant do..just like teachers teach because they cant do...most inspectors are NOT licensed plumbers and get the job because they know someone politically.....


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> inspectors inspect because they cant do..just like teachers teach because they cant do...most inspectors are NOT licensed plumbers and get the job because they know someone politically.....


My experience in Oregon was completely different. For YEARS we had people who were retired plumbers working at the county office. They knew their **** inside and out. There was a conflict of interest with this one ******* on many occasions (he was pushing his son's business on jobs that were already awarded to other plumbers) amongst many other things. Now from what I understand they have to get a state inspector to come down from Eugene or something crazy like that.

Down here from what I understand so far these people have no experience in the building trades whatsoever.

Garbage.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Alan said:


> My experience in Oregon was completely different. For YEARS we had people who were retired plumbers working at the county office. They knew their **** inside and out. There was a conflict of interest with this one ******* on many occasions (he was pushing his son's business on jobs that were already awarded to other plumbers) amongst many other things. Now from what I understand they have to get a state inspector to come down from Eugene or something crazy like that.
> 
> Down here from what I understand so far these people have no experience in the building trades whatsoever.
> 
> Garbage.



years ago, many years ago , most inspectors were licensed plumbers that knew someone politically, but now the last 20 years it seems most inspectors are not licensed plumbers or even guys that were plumbers, but some political hack that went to 2 weeks of inspector school...lol..
I just had a plumbing inspection a few days ago and the inspector was good and knew his $hit...but I have had inspectors that were clueless and walked around just saying" yeah that looks good" ...I could tell they didnt know what they were looking at..hey sometimes thats good...:vs_laugh:
but when they knock a job from lack of knowledge is where the problems start...
I had a few inspectors that had a " family business" and asked if he inspects there work..no comment..lol
alot of small villages sub out plumbing inspections to another plumbing company, now I call conflict of interest on that..having your competition inspect your work....
I can see the problem of not enough people in the trade and then how do you get enough inspectors if you dont have enough plumbers, but at least give the inspectors enough training ....


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> years ago, many years ago , most inspectors were licensed plumbers that knew someone politically, but now the last 20 years it seems most inspectors are not licensed plumbers or even guys that were plumbers, but some political hack that went to 2 weeks of inspector school...lol..
> I just had a plumbing inspection a few days ago and the inspector was good and knew his $hit...but I have had inspectors that were clueless and walked around just saying" yeah that looks good" ...I could tell they didnt know what they were looking at..hey sometimes thats good...:vs_laugh:
> but when they knock a job from lack of knowledge is where the problems start...
> I had a few inspectors that had a " family business" and asked if he inspects there work..no comment..lol
> ...


Hell, there was a building inspector job open at the city here when I was tossing around the idea of opening a plumbing business. My wife was pushing me a bit to apply for that one because I was so friggin miserable. I don't even know what part of the building it was for, but I didn't want to get involved in that bureaucratic nonsense. I think I ended up making a much better decision. Let the dummies keep being dumb.

:vs_cool:


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> inspectors inspect because they cant do..just like teachers teach because they cant do...most inspectors are NOT licensed plumbers and get the job because they know someone politically.....


I'll take exception to that. :vs_mad:

I Started 1977 apprentice, passed my State Exam and licensed in 1981, part time inspecting in 1985 and "still working". Put up tools in 2005 completely to get into office and save my pretty hands :vs_OMG:. Several certifications along with plumbing license, & EPA license.

No political help to initially get the inspectors job. Simply answered an add in the paper, chosen out of 5 to 8 applicants.


In Illinois you "must" be a licensed plumber to be able to inspect plumbing, we also have certified plumbing inspectors (an additional written test and 12 to 14 hours CEU annually).


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

The inspector we use worked for my Master back in the day. According to my Master, one of his worst plumbers, awesome drain cleaner, but was fried for stealing.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

GAN said:


> I'll take exception to that. :vs_mad:
> 
> I Started 1977 apprentice, passed my State Exam and licensed in 1981, part time inspecting in 1985 and "still working". Put up tools in 2005 completely to get into office and save my pretty hands :vs_OMG:. Several certifications along with plumbing license, & EPA license.
> 
> ...





you are the exception to the norm.....:smile:


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> you are the exception to the norm.....


He's not really the exception no. There are plenty of places who has good inspectors who used to be plumbers. It's a mix. In Grand Forks ND we have 2 people who used to be plumbers and they know their stuff. On the other side of the river in East Grand Forks MN the city uses an engineering company who hired the old fire marshall as an inspector and he and another guy barely knows anything about plumbing. Hit and miss but good inspectors are out there in plenty of places

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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

GAN said:


> I'll take exception to that. :vs_mad:





You take exception to that because YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION. Most in my experience are as others have described.










.


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## powellmatthew76 (Sep 11, 2019)

I worked for an oil and gas company right out of high school and was a tack welder/ grinder/slave and would watch welding inspectors critique welds on pipe, xray and whatnot. I got to talking to one inspector and he said he never welded a day in his life??? He said all you need is a bachelor's degree. I think he said he was a retired social worker or some ****! 

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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Dealing with inspectors in general is nothing but a game. Best to schedule inspection just before lunch or last part of the day. Never first thing or just after lunch. If you must schedule outside of that, intentionally forget a j-hook or talon. It makes them feel good that they know more than you and actually caught you on something. 

Straight from the horses mouth.... our inspector let it slip one day that he actually has a quota for reinspection fees per month.

Put government in charge of anything and becomes a money hungry machine.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

OpenSights said:


> Dealing with inspectors in general is nothing but a game. Best to schedule inspection just before lunch or last part of the day. Never first thing or just after lunch. If you must schedule outside of that, intentionally forget a j-hook or talon. It makes them feel good that they know more than you and actually caught you on something.
> 
> Straight from the horses mouth.... our inspector let it slip one day that he actually has a quota for reinspection fees per month.
> 
> Put government in charge of anything and becomes a money hungry machine.


 LOL...for the longest time many years ago it was customary to fold up a $20 and give it to the inspector during a shake and say " can I buy you lunch"..not so much now with all the cameras and recording devices, but im sure there are plenty out there...
Id like to see the inspection paper work on the hardrock hotel that just collapsed in new orleans and see if inspections were actually done..

https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-orleans-hard-rock-hotel-collapses-injuries


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