building inspector making me supply the ladder... is this common?

[OutHouse]

Im selling a rental and i had a new roof put on over the weekend. I called the city to have the inspector come out to sign off on the work and permit. he told me that i have to supply the ladder... wtf? isnt a ladder one of the tools of his trade? i have one at my house but i really dont want to haul it to the other side of town for a dude that should have one to do his fricken job.

 

[Possessed Freak]

Cool Story Bro.

 

[OverVolt]

I'm assuming he, too does not want to haul a ladder across town.

 

[OutHouse]

I'm assuming he, too does not want to haul a ladder across town.

shouldnt ladders be part of a building inspectors tool box? like plumbers, electricians, painters???

 

[nakedfrog]

The inspectors I hired to look at a building in March did not request that I supply a ladder, and they investigated the roof.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

shouldnt ladders be part of a building inspectors tool box? like plumbers, electricians, painters???

Yeah, I would think so. If you were an inspector, would you trust some beat-up old ladder that someone gave you to climb up on a roof?

 

[Sukhoi]

Tell the city you are not willing to take the liability of their worker using your ladder.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The building inspectors I've seen in my area all drive a fleet of Ford Escapes....not exactly geared for hauling ladders.

What is there to inspect that he can't do from the ground?

 

[OverVolt]

The building inspectors I've seen in my area all drive a fleet of Ford Escapes....not exactly geared for hauling ladders.

What is there to inspect that he can't do from the ground?

Umm the new roof?

 

[DrPizza]

Egads, building permits to replace a roof? I figured this was going to be a house inspection performed as part of the buying process.

 

[Eug]

shouldnt ladders be part of a building inspectors tool box? like plumbers, electricians, painters???

Nah, not really. Around here they drive sedans. Not great for hauling ladders around.

Supply the ladder and get the inspection passed, and move on.

BTW, my electrician doesn't carry a ladder around either, and he will install ceiling fans, and what not. If you want your ceiling fan installed, you supply the ladder.

 

[highland145]

He's got you by the short hairs. You need the permit signed off. Gotta love city inspectors.

Nah, not really. Around here they drive sedans. Not great for hauling ladders around.

Supply the ladder and get the inspection passed, and move on.

BTW, my electrician doesn't carry a ladder around either, and he will install ceiling fans, and what not. If you want your ceiling fan installed, you supply the ladder.

Strange. I'd expect a private contractor to provide what ever they need to do a job if they want to get paid.

 

[Eug]

Strange. I'd expect a private contractor to provide what ever they need to do a job if they want to get paid.

He can get a ladder I suppose, but not in the car he usually drives, which is also a sedan. He doesn't drive around a big van like some electrical contractors do. Most of his work is with other contractors though, and they drive around in vans and carry the ladders.

 

[Printer Bandit]

supply him with a jetpack and tel him to fly/fuck off.

 

[drnickriviera]

Sedan excuse doesn't work when you have those xtend and climb ladders.

 

[kt]

Make him sign a waiver for using the ladder you supplied.

 

[Eug]

Sedan excuse doesn't work when you have those xtend and climb ladders.

Huh? What are you talking about? It's a PITA to carry any ladder around, unless you have a vehicle made to carry one around, or a rack for one.

I don't see this as a mandatory requirement for a building inspector, by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[kt]

Sedan excuse doesn't work when you have those xtend and climb ladders.

That's a good point. One of those Little Giant ladder that extends up to 15' and can be collapsed down to around 5'. Have no problem putting in the trunk of my sedan.

 

[artvscommerce]

Sedan excuse doesn't work when you have those xtend and climb ladders.

exactly! you can get a 12 foot ladder that compacts down to 24". I certainly wouldn't want to trust an unknown piece of equipment with options out there like this:

 

[MarkXIX]

Maybe he's thinking you've already got the right ladder for the job.

First thing I did with my new house was buy a ladder that let me get the work done on my house that needed done. I left the old ladder(s) in place at my old house as part of the sale.

He's probably hoping you go along with it and rolling the dice that you have the ladder for the job already. If you say you don't, he'll probably bring his own ladder to get it done.

 

[edro]

I'm assuming he, too does not want to haul a ladder across town.

:thumbsup: :awe:

 

[Newell Steamer]

It's a trick.

When he gets on the roof, he will kick down the ladder and claim your roof as property of the United States of America government.

When you try to get up there, he will claim you are trespassing on government property and shoot you. Don't fall for it OP.

Forward this to 10 of your friends and make sure to get the word out on this scam. The last person who didn't forward this, had his own son happen this to him.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That does seem odd. A contractor or home inspector should have a truck with a ladder and proper tools.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I work right across the Building Dept for my County and I don't think I've ever seen them with ladders when driving out of the parking lot. They all have trucks too! I think the only thing I've seen them walk out of the office with is tape holstered on their hip, and the metal clipboards and pencil. That's it. I'm kind of curious now after reading this post and will ask them. I'm in CA though, we're special.

EDIT: Spoke with the office assistant here which may or may not be accurate info, but according to her, every jurisdiction is different. Our County requires the applicant to have a ladder because about 20 years ago an inspector fell off a County issued ladder and sued and (apparently) won, so now, the contractor is required to provide the ladder. So there you have it, at least out here.

 

[WelshBloke]

Make him sign a waiver for using the ladder you supplied.

Then hacksaw half way though each side. :twisted: