# No pre-pour inspection



## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

A lot of towns near me enforce permits and regulations pretty strictly these days and have several ways of showing their affection when you cross the line.

Seems as though a contractor from across the Walt Whitman tested these waters and found out the hard way.

They got their permit, but neglected the pre-pour inspection call.

I happen to know the inspector in this town and he sure loves his spray paint :laughing:

In case you can't figure out what it says..."no pre-pour inspection, rip out"


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## brickhook (May 8, 2012)

I'd hate to be there for that meeting :laughing:


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Come to think of it...the 2nd pour turned out much nicer.

Probably cause it wasn't painted orange :laughing:


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## skillman (Sep 23, 2011)

I hope the inspectors home info is private . Could see his home painted several times .


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## Alldayrj (Oct 9, 2014)

Ouch that hurts. I had inspector watch me form, pour, and finish last week. All the while telling me horror stories about what he has made other guys do. I havent been back for the forms yet but i hope its not painted orange!


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## HardWorks (Aug 6, 2014)

I have poured a lot of concrete in and around Philly. Some inspectors IMO cross the line, even though the contractor screwed up, the inspector is being unprofessional with his graffiti. 

At least it wasn't a big pour and the taxpayers are footing the bill by the looks of that pour.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Had an inspector come over to my house to do footing inspection few days ago. He bitched about so much stuff, too many holes, yard too muddy, holes to small, cant attach it this way, need erosion control, water in holes, gonna shut down my job etc etc

Its no wonder so many people in this area never pull permits, my holes were over sized by about 10" based on my beam and joist spans, there was about 1/16th puddle of water in the bottom of 2 holes where i tamped the dirt solid, Yard was muddy but after 4 days of rain and a construction site what did he think, His boss already signed of on the way the deck was being built and he turned up in a pair of boots you couldn't walk through a puddle without getting wet feet. 

after schooling him on all the above he signed of on the inspection. You just gotta stand up to these guys. They know way less than they like you to think.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

You need a pre pour insp. for a sidewalk? Do they need an inspection prior to hot top/


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

JBM said:


> You need a pre pour insp. for a sidewalk? Do they need an inspection prior to hot top/


This is an apron for a Pathmark. Yes, you need a pre-pour to check the 6/6 rule...i.e. 6" crushed 3/4 stone and 6" concrete with wire.

This inspector is the real deal here. He's been a contractor all his life and owns a commercial construction co in addition to being an engineer 

He also happens to own a large 3rd. party certified inspection company in which he subcontracts out with some of the smaller boroughs that don't want to afford doing things in-house.


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

How did the inspector know it was ready to be inspected? - He was not told.

Very common with slabs and sidewalks because weather has a big effect on the conditions. Even weathermen know they cannot be accurate about rain. Who knows when it was ready to be looked at. Having something ready to be inspected and poured is up to the contractor and make sure any mesh or rebar is there does not show up on a crystal ball somewhere, but at least the contractor got an over-all permit.

I bet a part of the pour was on city property/easment/right-of-way judging from the photos.

I knew a number of concrete and masonry contractors the did block basement foundations, strip footings, floors and driveways. Even though longitudinal steel was not required in a strip footing, they always had a few short lengths of rebar handy to slip into the fresh footing concrete for show. - They never stuck it in too far since they pulled it out, saved it and stuck in the dirty end for the the next observation if it ever happened.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

concretemasonry said:


> How did the inspector know it was ready to be inspected? - He was not told.
> 
> Very common with slabs and sidewalks because weather has a big effect on the conditions. Even weathermen know they cannot be accurate about rain. Who knows when it was ready to be looked at. Having something ready to be inspected and poured is up to the contractor and make sure any mesh or rebar is there does not show up on a crystal ball somewhere, but at least the contractor got an over-all permit.
> 
> ...


This particular town enforces sidewalk, curb and apron regulations for commercial properties and yearly, will mark out defective conditions. The owners are then given a certain time frame (90 days) to comply.
If they don't...the town will facilitate the work and lien the property.

To get off the list, work must be performed, under permit and inspection of course and then they leave you alone for another year.

In regards to your first question, These towns I speak of are rather small and this guys code enforcement crew is large and organized.

Trust me when I tell you, they love laying out fines and taking your azz to court if they have too. If you're working in this town without a permit, they nail you quickly...not like it used to be. Major revenue stream these days


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

At least is not a foundation.


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## SDel Prete (Jan 8, 2012)

CJKarl said:


> At least is not a foundation.


That's what I was thinking.


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## cdkyle (Jul 12, 2009)

superseal said:


> This inspector is the real deal here. He's been a contractor all his life and owns a commercial construction co in addition to being an engineer
> 
> He also happens to own a large 3rd. party certified inspection company in which he subcontracts out with some of the smaller boroughs that don't want to afford doing things in-house.


Sounds like a case of conflict of interest. 

Nothing worse than a barney fife with an inspection badge.


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## JAH (Jul 27, 2014)

Something like this always worries me when a inspector gives us the go head to continue over the phone.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

I my neck of the woods, N.W. Indiana,pre pour inspections are required for footings and walls,not flat work. The way the game is played,once you call in for an inspection,the inspector has 24 hours (weekends do not count) to do the inspection. If they do not come within 24 hrs., you are free to pour.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

fjn said:


> I my neck of the woods, N.W. Indiana,pre pour inspections are required for footings and walls,not flat work. The way the game is played,once you call in for an inspection,the inspector has 24 hours (weekends do not count) to do the inspection. If they do not come within 24 hrs., you are free to pour.


Our inspector only requires 2 hours notice. He has told me if he doesn't make it in two hours I am free to pour. (I'm sure its different on large commercial projects.)


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Spencer said:


> Our inspector only requires 2 hours notice. He has told me if he doesn't make it in two hours I am free to pour. (I'm sure its different on large commercial projects.)


We get that here too occasionally. I always take some pics before we proceed though.


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## skillman (Sep 23, 2011)

Warren said:


> We get that here too occasionally. I always take some pics before we proceed though.


 Pictures are a contractor's best friend . With a ruler showing size and depth in some cases .


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

Some places you can get away with pictures and the tape reading... some places will tell you how do I know this is the pictures of a slab in question?

I have seen quiet a few times they make you take it out, so they can see it.

With that said, I can't really blame them for doing that, its theirs job to inspect and they wanna make sure its done right and that apron got 6" of greater of concrete with wire and not 3" with a chicken wire in place. 
After all a contractor should know better what the process is no matter where the job is. If I do work in a town I never worked before, first thing I do is go into the building department and tell them I am planning to do this or that, what permit or inspections I will need, etc.
Not only this saves pain in the a$$ and all the running around, it makes you look "like you know what you doing" in front of you customer.

After all we're all professionals :thumbsup:


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