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Contractors who play by the rules deserve a fair shot at every job. When building departments and their inspectors consistently enforce the adopted building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy, and accessibility codes, everyone benefits. The public is protected, and reputable contractors can compete on skill and efficiency, not on who cuts corners.
A close friend of his owned a large restaurant and was starting a complete renovation. The electrician gave his friend a bid that was already cut to the bone. Weeks went by with no word. Driving past the restaurant one day, he saw work underway and another electrician on site. He stopped in and found the new electrician wiring the building with NM cable, also known as Romex. That wiring is flat-out prohibited by code in a commercial assembly with that level of occupancy.
He called his friend, who admitted he had chosen the other contractor because the bid was six thousand dollars less. Those so-called savings came from using wiring that was never allowed in that type of occupancy. The first electrician assumed the job would never pass inspection. He later learned it did. An inspector had approved illegal wiring.
When building code inspections are inconsistent, it sends a message that the code is negotiable. That message rewards the least professional contractors and drives good contractors away from the market, or forces them to lower their standards to compete. Over time, the entire industry suffers.
Good contractors should be the loudest advocates for consistent professional building code inspections. It protects the public and ensures that honest work prevails.
A Real World Example
Years ago, at an International Association of Electrical Inspectors meeting in Pennsylvania, I sat at dinner with a father and son electrical team. They looked frustrated. The father explained why.A close friend of his owned a large restaurant and was starting a complete renovation. The electrician gave his friend a bid that was already cut to the bone. Weeks went by with no word. Driving past the restaurant one day, he saw work underway and another electrician on site. He stopped in and found the new electrician wiring the building with NM cable, also known as Romex. That wiring is flat-out prohibited by code in a commercial assembly with that level of occupancy.
He called his friend, who admitted he had chosen the other contractor because the bid was six thousand dollars less. Those so-called savings came from using wiring that was never allowed in that type of occupancy. The first electrician assumed the job would never pass inspection. He later learned it did. An inspector had approved illegal wiring.
Why It Matters
That inspector failed everyone. The restaurant owner thought he got a bargain, but was left with a building that did not meet the life safety standards of the code. The honest electrician lost the job even though his bid was fair and code-compliant. Contractors who follow the rules were put at a financial disadvantage by a competitor who gambled on weak oversight and won.When building code inspections are inconsistent, it sends a message that the code is negotiable. That message rewards the least professional contractors and drives good contractors away from the market, or forces them to lower their standards to compete. Over time, the entire industry suffers.
The Takeaway for Contractors
Consistent application of the building codes is not about making life harder for builders or slowing projects. It protects contractors who invest in proper training, quality materials, and safe installations. When every inspector applies the minimum code without exception, bids reflect real costs, not who is willing to break the law.Good contractors should be the loudest advocates for consistent professional building code inspections. It protects the public and ensures that honest work prevails.
