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  1. jim baird

    It's not an optical illusion

    A brother of mine installed a water heater under his shack with no underpinning, as it would not fit in the building. No problem, except when it got cold he had to turn it off and drain it.
  2. jim baird

    There were 10 of these

    Who built cage did not see hole, and who installed cage only knew it had to fit, even if he had to grease it to do so.
  3. jim baird

    Self supporting hip roof framing?

    "...In the above example, the supplier specified a humongous beam that did not appear justified...." Pricing by board foot, like pricing by the pound, may affect the vendor's choice of how much to sell. When my wife asked the honey-glaze ham store how much she needed to feed 12, they specified...
  4. jim baird

    Overflow on Vanity Sink

    Air gap between spout and flood level rim is required, but no overflow drain, especially noticeable on some of these ridiculous new-fangled blown glass and ceramic pedestals that some think are so cool.
  5. jim baird

    Workmanship

    You have to admire that overlap, tho, don't you?
  6. jim baird

    judge is upset about the see-through staircase

    Yes, but I can still see through the treads in the picture. So, are clear risers good design, when such design offends some sensiblities? Ever notice on the hispanic TV channels how the ladies doing news/gossip/info shows don't get a "modesty panel" at their counters/desks, and even have to...
  7. jim baird

    judge is upset about the see-through staircase

    Very funny story. I'd like to hear from the architects here whether they think clear treads are "good design" or not. I wonder what the charge might be against someone caught by security "craning their necks"?
  8. jim baird

    Personal care homes

    Related to this post is a story in the May 30 New Yorker. Annals of Mental Health God Knows Where I Am What should happen when patients reject their diagnosis?by Rachel Aviv Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/05/30/110530fa_fact_aviv#ixzz1ObJcN4ne
  9. jim baird

    public annoyance

    Our town, like many, has been blessed with a number of nearly new, yet now abandoned residential properties. I have been asked by local councilmen/mayor if current codes (building/zoning) could be brought to bear on owners to remediate the appearance of those. Short of condemnation for unsafe...
  10. jim baird

    Wood girder pocketed into CMU Masonry wall

    metal shims?
  11. jim baird

    why I hate "policies"

    Peach is correct, in that "outlet" includes more than just a receptacle. I have not seen much written "policy", just word of mouth about what the local AHJ looks for or notices. It leads to the modern myth among trades that "every county's codes are different". In our state building, fire...
  12. jim baird

    Existing nonconforming buildings

    Depending on your local admin procedure (ours are mandated by state to be adopted locally), use is often not considered continuing if the building is vacant for a certain period. There is the Chapter 34 path to follow also. Sometimes you have to make chicken salad from chicken droppings.
  13. jim baird

    What's your title?

    Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator I serve as a contractor, no bennies no nada, I bill the City Clerk weekly by the hour. I am just a cut above the guys hanging out at the Home Depot parking lot in sleeveless shirts to display los brazos fuertes.
  14. jim baird

    Do I laugh, cry or get sick???

    Ted Kasinski, BTW, is NOT crazy. He rejected the insanity defense and fired his lawyers. He still thinks he did the right thing, apparently. Just another misunderstood genius?
  15. jim baird

    Do I laugh, cry or get sick???

    mmarvel, Is everything really bigger in Tejas? Like the guy who said down at the tavern, My ranch is so big it takes me all day to drive across it in my truck. To which his sidekick replies, Yeah I had a truck like that once. Different strokes for different folks, and scoobie doobie doowee...
  16. jim baird

    Front Entry ?

    Railings to code.
  17. jim baird

    Overrulled by my Department Head (Zoning Administrator)

    OK. I get it...the only "new" part is the whole "flight" (why do I take such comfort in that term?) to be made anew. 1st question...what is wrong w/Chapt 10 and why was your ruling (as yet to be described BTW) over-ruled? BTW2 I too have been over-ruled (not in the interest of compliance, mind...
  18. jim baird

    Advantages to ISO program

    mt speaks truth. In the fire department arena they have a bigger impact. Our local FD, however, was not happy when told, to get their 5 rating, because our city has one 3 story building (only one in whole county) the FD has to have a ladder truck.
  19. jim baird

    Opinions

    Around here we are still reeling so from the knockdown that happened a cpl of yrs back, even as our little town was still trying to pick itself up off the mat after King Cotton's decline (you heard that right, but that's another story), that such minor "adjustment" of use would not be an issue...
  20. jim baird

    This is how we roll in the City of Pittston

    Funny, but our state law contains language that pretty much gives a pass on all existing buildings. It states that no kind of current codes can, short of imminent hazard, inflict "hardship" on a property owner just trying to make some improvements.
  21. jim baird

    What To Do, What To Do......Fire Damaged Home (long)

    The New Yorker had a good story some weeks ago about a family practice clinic in Oakland whose med director is a Carribean born ball of fire focusing, in her spare time, on research that tries to develop a case for "adverse childhood experience" as being a public health problem much like...
  22. jim baird

    Finally a tv show about inspectors

    Yet again, my lack of patience with links to videos forces me to comment in the dark. I have a TV, but don't have cable, satellite, just an antenna with one of those converter boxes. I get from 0 to about 3 channels on a good day, and don't miss much at all, I am convinced. When I hear there...
  23. jim baird

    What To Do, What To Do......Fire Damaged Home (long)

    This post makes my job feel like such a cakewalk. Sounds to me like the insurer could stipulate how claims are disbursed.
  24. jim baird

    Every inspector should carry a screwdriver

    I just try to be sure my beefy maglite is in my back pocket in case I get rushed by a dog.
  25. jim baird

    Tattoo Parlor

    B for sure. Our state makes no rules but assigns all concerns and/or reg structure and/or admin to county based health departments that are technically state outposts. Ask the local dept and they say, "Nobody from the state has told us to do anything". So, guess what gets done.
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