-
Welcome to The Building Code Forum
Your premier resource for building code knowledge.
This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.
Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.
Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.
Mike Holmes in hot water
- Thread starter Inspector Gadget
- Start date
Yankee Chronicler
REGISTERED
I've watched a few of his videos, and my immediate reaction was that he's a blowhard.
bill1952
SAWHORSE
I wondered how they got through plan review and inspections.
Inspector Gadget
REGISTERED
It's the inspections part that intrigues me. I scoured the videos and I I think I have identified some (Canadian) code violations - in the envelope at least. I did some digging: the municipality has 11,000 people, two inspectors, and does about 400 permits (mostly residential/plumbing) a year. Municipality named in the suit, will "rigorously defend," etc., etc.
Nobody tears down well-built houses. This is gonna be a "grab the popcorn and watch the legal proceedings" ride.
tmurray
SAWHORSE
Mike Holmes does one thing, and only one thing well: marketing.
The statement that the demolitions are unnecessary, it's important to remember it is not the owners who are deciding to demolish. It is the home warranty company. Insurance companies are not known for spending more money than they absolutely have to, so I have trouble taking the statement that the demolitions are unnecessary at face value.
The statement that the demolitions are unnecessary, it's important to remember it is not the owners who are deciding to demolish. It is the home warranty company. Insurance companies are not known for spending more money than they absolutely have to, so I have trouble taking the statement that the demolitions are unnecessary at face value.
texasinspector
Member
Candian showboat springs another leak.
So what does Mike Holmes have to say about this unfortunate turn of events? It appears that even the slabs are being removed.
Holmes comes off as too opinionated. I suppose his style resonates with a sufficiently large audience. Is he still on TV?
Holmes comes off as too opinionated. I suppose his style resonates with a sufficiently large audience. Is he still on TV?
Last edited:
Inspector Gadget
REGISTERED
I think Mike started out with good intentions bringing pour construction practice to the forefront. I actually picked up some things from some of his old shows like the Canadians do not allow a ladder railing on their decks where here in the US, knock your self out!
It seams all these HGTV type shows entertain you with the finished product: Ohoooo.. oooo.. My gosh this is beautiful! The customer: I want an open concept, need to see the kids while I'm cooking and I can throw my hubby a beer from the kitchen. I want an on-suite, what the hell is that when I first heard it. Then there's zombies doing flippin! Where's Bob Vila?
I liked PBS Hometime, showed you new products and installations, daughter jumped in at the end. Still like this old house, Tom Silva appears to know his trade, pretty good show over the years but if I hired Silva to do a garage, I'll have to rob a bank to pay his bill I'm afraid.
Homes would slam the contractor, cuz it wasn't done right. Do these jobs get a pass from the building departments cuz the City's want the pub?
It seams all these HGTV type shows entertain you with the finished product: Ohoooo.. oooo.. My gosh this is beautiful! The customer: I want an open concept, need to see the kids while I'm cooking and I can throw my hubby a beer from the kitchen. I want an on-suite, what the hell is that when I first heard it. Then there's zombies doing flippin! Where's Bob Vila?
I liked PBS Hometime, showed you new products and installations, daughter jumped in at the end. Still like this old house, Tom Silva appears to know his trade, pretty good show over the years but if I hired Silva to do a garage, I'll have to rob a bank to pay his bill I'm afraid.
Homes would slam the contractor, cuz it wasn't done right. Do these jobs get a pass from the building departments cuz the City's want the pub?
Inspector Gadget
REGISTERED
We do, now, as long as the deck is not more than about 12' from the ground.
bill1952
SAWHORSE
Sorry, ladder railing? Horizontal infill that is climbable? Just not heard that term.
Yankee Chronicler
REGISTERED
Wow! Two inspectors for 400 permits a year?
A few years ago I interviewed for a job as THE building official in a small town. This was to be a part-time (16 hours per week) position, with NO clerical support. I asked how many permits they typically processed in a year, and they told me about 450. I told them it couldn't be done and thanked them for their time.
Inspector Gadget
REGISTERED
Curious - what's a reasonable annual average, per inspector in your mind?
steveray
SAWHORSE
We do something like 1000 each...Not saying it is right....But....
If the inspector works 46 weeks out of the year that is 4.3 per day Each…Not saying it is wrong….But….
tmurray
SAWHORSE
Hard do compare numbers without the building types...
Inspector Gadget
REGISTERED
Factoring everything from decks and egress windows to apartment buildings, I figure the average permit in our jurisdiction produces about 2.5 inspections.
1000 permits = 1 plans review plus 2.5 inspections = 3,500 actions per year/(46*5) =15 discrete actions per day. I have a crapton of distance to travel, which is a limiting factor, but that's a LOT of work.
Perhaps I misunderstood when I thought he said 1000 inspections per inspector...per year.
We burn 2.5 inspections just on smoke alarms with every permit.... and way more on the rest of it. That's why 15 to 18 stops per day was typical. management likes to think that 12 stops is average but it's actually rare to have only 12. As to distance, the mileage was from 30 to 50 miles driven. Corrections written varied from 25 to 65 with some days being a blowout. Now that's a lot of work.
Note that I said stops and not inspections, Some jurisdictions will count every separate permit as an inspection ... If the stop is for framing and meps they count that as four inspections. I walked into a city where I was assigned for a few days and the BO said that they had 225 inspection requests for that day. Of course I only got 45.
Last edited:
Sifu
SAWHORSE
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 3,318
Yep, I thought the same. Then there were so many Holmes shows I lost track. I liked the willingness to call out the bad work, but not when it was just in favor of whatever his product of the day was. Did he just lose his way? Maybe his empire is so big now that he got caught up endorsing something he really didn't research. Good lesson to learn, if he is listening. The recent shows are not near as interesting to me, I can watch "celebrity contractors" on TV all day long. I was more interested in the "celebrity inspector".
steveray
SAWHORSE
When I had to calculate the inspections for ISO audits you would have a 1)framing, 2)HVAC, 3)plumbing, 4)electrical, 5)GAS line test and 6)electrical service all at the same time, adds up to 6 inspections approx. 1-2 hours depending on the size of the house.
If you had to go back, cuz you know it didn't pass, you have a re-inspection, so inspections do add up. I was the only dude inspecting in a town of 4,600.
ISO audit picks that apart, you need more help and training opportunities.
If you had to go back, cuz you know it didn't pass, you have a re-inspection, so inspections do add up. I was the only dude inspecting in a town of 4,600.
ISO audit picks that apart, you need more help and training opportunities.
steveray
SAWHORSE
Last FY....Numbers still seem a bit screwy to me and most of my stuff doesn't necessarily get logged...We have about a 40% failure rate so we should have way more inspections that permits...Unless most of the people are not calling...Is this OT enough?
Average revenue per permit= $481
Average inspections per permit= 1.33 That can't be correct.