An average day

[SCBO1]

I've never seen flex duct split like that before, not sure that's allowed and would have a concern that the duct is over spanned? And then there's the reduced air flow due to the strapppin!

Does the energy code require the PEX to be insulated or is there a frost warning tonight?

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Do you make them have ground bars even it they use the metal water pipe as ground?

 

[steveray]

E3608.1.1.2 Installation. Continuity of the grounding
path or the bonding connection to interior piping shall
not rely on water meters, filtering devices and similar
equipment. A metal underground water pipe shall be
supplemented by an additional electrode of a type specified
in Sections E3608.1.2 through E3608.1.6.

 

[ICE]

This was the first inspection. The job is a bathroom under a patio cover associated with a swimming pool. The panel is not made to be embedded in plaster so I said no. I explained, several times, that a cabinet that fits between the studs or a cabinet that is installed after the stucco is the way to go.




That's not what they heard. I gave the next inspection to another inspector. That inspector has been there before and did in fact, approve the rough electrical. I got a picture on my phone from that inspector because the contractor insists that I told him to do it this way.






This was never mentioned. I explained the situation to two workers and then the hefe when he showed up. How they got this from what I told them escapes me.....I think that I am done explaining stuff to this bunch.

 

[my250r11]

Must rain from the ground up there.... lmao

 

[mark handler]

Must rain from the ground up there.... lmao

Picture upside down?

 

[my250r11]

The first pic seems the trees are right, but their flashing, if you can call it that is wrong

 

[SCBO1]

Instead of putting their name on it and the ASTM crap, they should put a picture on the tape showing how to install it!

The tape doesn't have much stick-em for moisture protection.

Looked like a pretty day in CA!, no smoke.

 

[ICE]

At the first inspection of this electrical service upgrade I couldn't get the dead-front out without bending it. I suppose I could have used a screwdriver as a pry-bar and finessed it out but hey now, I'm not allowed to take anything apart. So I wrote a correction asking the contractor to be there to open it up. He removed the dead-front and left it like this for a week before I returned for a second inspection.



I have a question regarding the lateral service conductors. They were too short so the contractor spliced with Polaris blocks. I wonder if Edison will remove the Polaris blocks and use an inline splice. One of the corrections that I wrote is the bending radius is too small but if Edison will remove this the correction is moot.

 

[SCBO1]

Must rain from the ground up there.

One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain, and big ol' fat rain, rain that flew in sideways, and sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath....Forrest Gump.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

E3608.1.1.2 Installation. Continuity of the grounding
path or the bonding connection to interior piping shall
not rely on water meters, filtering devices and similar
equipment. A metal underground water pipe shall be
supplemented by an additional electrode of a type specified
in Sections E3608.1.2 through E3608.1.6.

Sorry, I could of sworn the photo shown an exterior pipe.

 

[ICE]

The yard has been built up.



Just a little too much.



They already had the dirt.



What they lack is a permit.

 

[ICE]

Here's another job without permits. Well that was before they got caught. Now that there's permits they requested an inspection.





I was met by a contractor. Twenty-seven years in the business and he said that since he merely replaced the showers, he didn't think a permit was required.

This is in the back yard. It looks like a garage but it is too close to the house to maneuver a car through the opening.



I was curious about the change in the floor elevation. I found out that the higher slab is a cap over an abandoned swimming pool. There is no permit for the building nor is there a permit to demo a pool.

It is common th encounter bootlegged construction. There is always a price to pay. This one will be painful.

 

[conarb]

I vote for bonus points for a neat clean jobsite.

 

[ICE]

Tract work.

 

[ICE]

Licensed contractor leaves the panel apart and open with energized metal parts that can kill.



The previous service enclosure has been turned into a J-box. He didn't bother to remove the stuff that an animal left in the cabinet.

 

[SCBO1]

Tract, drywall work, no points allotted!

Go into penalty phase, someone's gotta be deported or sent back to work release.

 

[ICE]

Each column is topped off with a container of water. The containers are secured with wire.



The containers are there because the chickens were hopping up and out. There's a lot of chickens.

 

[Msradell]

Each column is toped off with a container of water. The containers are secured with wire.

The containers are there because the chickens were hopping up and out. There's a lot of chickens.

Are Chickens permitted in this area or that a code violation also?

 

[ICE]

An unlimited number of chickens is allowed. Atrocious fences too.

 

[SCBO1]

Which came first the "chicken" or the "hacienda?"

Maybe the chickens are a existing non-conforming use?


Which day of the week do chickens hate most?

Fry-day!

 

[ICE]

The first inspection was for the service upgrade. It went from something to 225 amp. The first trip resulted in about six corrections, one of which was to remove the lath. That correction included "install ST62 strap across the ......"



I didn't pay much attention to the solar part of the project other than to say that the LB can't displace all of the plaster.



Apparently they are familiar with my inspections, not just because of the loop but also because they call the office and complain....a lot.






There's the ST62. The code calls for eight #10 1.5" long on each side of the gash. I ask for ten and seal the fireblock. The top plate is a fireblock and the code states that the integrity of fireblocks be maintained. I wish I had a stamp for that correction. A gap this wide should have a substantial repair and an ST62 is not that. While it may perform in tension it will bend easily in compression.

I didn't write a correction for the weak strap. That would play too heavily in their complaint that I am the first to write such corrections. Everybody from contractors, homeowners and my department are convinced that I write too many corrections. They're not willing to pick the ones that I shouldn't have written. Perhaps I should always give them a break such as, "OK you got too many. Pick any correction and toss it out".

This company got hammered and once the lath is removed there's bound to be more. It is typical of many of their jobs. The owner was not there at either inspection so I haven't been able to see the water heater or smoke and CO alarms.

Once I see the alarms and point out that they are missing or installed wrong the owners become agitated and the solar guy says, "I have some on the truck. Give me a minute to install them". The upset owner wants me to hang around while the alarms are corrected. If I have the time and it's likely to not be more that ten minutes I'll do that. Now if it's a scatter brained bunch I'm gone. None of the contractors for any project deals with alarms before I show up. Apparently there is no legal path that would put the responsibility for alarms on the contractor.

 

[ICE]

The job is an owner builder permit. A scad of mistakes it was. When I see these results I want to stop and tell them to hire a licensed electrician. I can't do that. I am supposed to explain the mistakes and provide a correct way to do the work. That could pan out if I were standing next to them as the work is performed.








The root cause for this is a lack of respect for the electrical trade. With few exceptions I find the service panel wide open with the deadfront removed and the worker out front in a vehicle. From Home Depot crews to legitimate, longtime electrical contractors, there is no respect. I used to fight this with a resolve to stop it. The practice then became codified as acceptable. Such lack of respect for electricity is dangerous. Knowing that it legal is akin to finding out that Disney has alligators in the wading pond. The possibilities are endless..

 

[ICE]

For some reason, the valley collects debris and holds it until it decomposes. The tree isn’t directly over the house. It must be air currents.