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this get's old, no license

B

BSSTG

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
729
Location
Seadrift, Tx.
Greetings,

Go to a new homesite on Tues. to look at electrical. Dudes putting in a sewer line w/o permit or license. Done wrong too. Talk to homeowner told them to stop and he says he will get the plumber out on Wed to permit and fix. Ok Go back on Wed pm to look at drive. Sewer line is completed. Talk to plumber Thurs am and he knows nothing about it.

Will give them 2 options. 1 tear it out and start over by licensed plumber.

2 write a citation and see you in court. no c/o until resolution is reached.

I told one my code guys that I'm sick of this. He says stop talking to the folks and start writing citations for everything. I'm just about to that point.

And to top it off, while writing this post, I get another call from a bldg owner who has had a complete replumb without a permit that I've been pleading with. She gives me the sob story that the guy is licensed. I know she is trying to pull the wool over my eyes too. I told her she needs to get me a copy of the invoice from her "plumber" and I will write him a citation. Otherwise, she gets a citation for hiring him.

One interesting thing here in Tx., you can get a citation for hiring an unlicensed plumber.

BSSTG
 
BSSTG,

Stop it; your making me home sick for Texas. I stopped by a home where an add-on bedroom and full bath was in progress. They had a permit for the add-on; and never had even one inspection and finished the job (foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical and mechanical). I reported it and the result was; Oh, well, maybe next time they will do the right thing.

Uncle Bob :(
 
Stop work order on the entire project, if still going, gets peopled attention. Tell everyone to go home

Sounds like if project done citation, can you double the permit fee?
 
BSSTG, We stop more work here for unlicensed contractors than for any other reason. I can write a citation with a mandatory court appearance and the Judges here are pretty tough on them and back our play. I DO NOT like writing citations but I will in a split second for someone blowing smoke up my kilts. I also have the city "board of examiners" that regulate contractor licensing to answer to. Hope this helps.
 
"jp"

You're wearing kilts now? :D

Back on topic, ..until the various contractors & property owners are fined; and actually collected

upon, no one is going to do anything about obtaining a permit or inspections. The code officials

can write all the citations and drag them in to court all day, every day, ..but until it actually

costs them something significant, this type activity is only going to increase.

BTW, it is not just in Texas, or Wyoming, or California, ..it's everywhere, and out in the more

rural areas, it is even worse!

..I'm just about to that point.
Click to expand...
"BSSTG", what is it going to take for you get all the way there? :D

.
 
"jp",

I was picturing you riding your horsey, in the saddle with your kilt on and getting extremely chafed! :D

.
 
Unfortunately, in most places, a civil fine and requirement for a permit is all that's ever done. Judges very rarely require that the work be torn out... that's my experience anyway. I won't sign off on the final, so the permit goes into limbo.
 
In Virginia the state will fine you $500 per day from the day the work commenced for working without a required contractor's license on a project that requires a licensed contractor and the state enforces the penalty. Usually just mentioning that will get action here.
 
No problem here. No license required in PA. Home improvement state license is required for residential repairs and improvements only that anyone can get for $50. You can still build a whole house without one. I am not allowed to enforce it anyway. No problem.
 
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