Building Regulations: A Self-Help Guide For The Owner-Builder

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On a practical, everyday level, the building inspector (as reported by Field and Ventre in their survey of building departments entitled "Local Regulation of Building Agencies, Codes, and Politics" published in the 1977 Municipal Yearbook) has a much more difficult, tenuous existence. Seven out of eight building department heads serve at the pleasure of those who appoint them and this situation makes them sensitive to political pressure and the loss of their jobs. Each inspector, therefore, tries to maintain a "don't rock the boat" attitude which accounts in large measure for the reputation of building departments as being unduly cautious and conservative.

Field and Ventre also document other interesting facts in their survey: [1] that one chief building inspector in seven is over 60 and half are over 50 years of age, [2] that most building officials are in the twilight of their careers, [3] that the local building department appears to be a place where careers end rather than begin, [4] that many building inspectors come from the construction trades, and [5] that heavy dependence on construction experience may be a factor contributing to a building department's tardiness in accommodating new technology.

OK. Now with all that background information under our belt, we'll discuss bow to handle this person whom the codes have almost deified, but whose employment status keeps him on the precipice of the hell of the jobless.

The most important thing to remember is that he is not (inspite of what the codes say) God-like . . . he is a human being with the faults, virtues, and frailties that we all have. He's a not-so-well-paid public official trying to hold onto his job, who—unlike the mayors, councilmen, and other elected officials—is on the firing line with the general public every day . . . and who comes under intense scrutiny and criticism when people are injured or killed in building failures.

So what do you do? There are two overriding points that I would emphasize. [1] Try to find out as much as possible about the PERSON who is the building inspector—what his personality is like, how he treats people, just how flexible or rigid he is-before you meet him. And don't forget that for some owner-builders a confrontation with the building inspector is really a confrontation between two entirely different lifestyles. Try to downplay that aspect of the conflict . . . it will only defeat your purpose. He has more power at his disposal than you do!

[2] Be armed with as much detailed KNOWLEDGE of [A] the building code (which is what this self-help guide is all about), [B] construction in general (which information you cart get from the great number of how-to books on the market), and [C] what you want to build in particular . . . before you meet the inspector for the first time. And, whatever it is you intend to build, make sure you know why the structure is safe . . . this is the most important information that you can confront the building inspector with.

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