by Andrew Getty

What do you do when you see things that should be corrected, though they were not part of the intended inspection? 

The property owner is worried about a particular problem and wanted an inspection accordingly.

The inspection revealed a number of other issues, all relative to life safety, but totally unrelated to the reason for the original inspection. 

When it’s about life safety, the answer is pretty easy… speak up.

This is not the time to find fault, point fingers or hide. All that stuff will work itself out.

Hopefully it is a lesson for the design professional (in this case an architect), the contractor who was doing work beyond his normal expertise, the home owner who normally relies on the design professional and the contractor or the code inspector.

Without names or locations here is the story.

A well-meaning professional contractor is hired to do a rather major fix and remodel on an older house.

During the permitting stage the code office requires a set of plans prepared by a design professional.

A number of things, all appropriate, were shown on the plans. Some of the information was like pulling teeth, but ultimately the permit is issued and work commences.

The contractor is excellent at the more major and difficult work, and does a very fine job overall.

However, some of the details of other incidental work was not as proficient, not being his normal line of work.

This may or may not have been (not pointing fingers) the reason for the home owner to call the code office in the first place. There were some roof leaks that caused some minor interior damage.

The home owner contacts the code office expressing concerns about the leaks. This project was started several years ago; having a thousand open permits out there, and issuing 300 – 400 new ones each year, it is impossible to remember each one in detail.

That’s why we have files and records. The file is still open (no final inspection done.)

Once the file was reviewed, the memory kicks in. There are a few on-site inspection reports regarding foundation and concrete work… all favorable.

There was another inspection report during the insulation and framing process discussing details and requirements which also appeared appropriate.

That was the last inspection. No record of any electrical inspection, no record of plumbing inspections and no final inspection.

It is not the duty of the code office to be a “clerk of the works” for any project. The permit holder, the contractor or the design professional must call in for inspections at the appropriate time to schedule inspections.

It is impossible for any busy code office to monitor, day to day, hundreds of projects.

So, what is seen during this inspection to look at the leaks and repairs going on?

• Not one hard wired smoke detector.

• Not one bedroom with appropriate emergency rescue or egress windows.

• No evidence of any electrical third party inspection.

• Plumbing drains and traps not correct.

• Two sets of beds in the basement, no windows for natural light, ventilation or emergency egress.

• The “basement” bedroom impacts the minimum criteria for the septic system, which was discussed during the permit application process.

• Basement stairs not compliant.

• No landing outside an exit door, 2–3 foot drop to the ground.

More research on the history of the house will determine if all of these things are required to be corrected.

However, when remodeling an old house, if a compliant smoke alarm system can be installed without major demolition of other parts of the house, it shall be done.

New rooms, new windows in sleeping areas shall comply with the egress criteria.

As much as the leaks that were being taken care of are certainly important, these other things rise to a level of life safety that unfortunately most people never really think about.

Failure to call for inspections is part of the problem. However everyone involved, design professional, contractor and home owner alike also have a responsibility.

So the code office will speak up and call a black bird a black bird. We may never know if this saves a life, prevents an injury or helps keep our emergency responders and firefighters safe as well. That’s why egress windows are called “rescue and egress openings.”