Slow And Steady Also Wins the Prize

On the project I am building I have had inspections of three occasions want a certain plumbing drain line and stack done differently. Each time these inspectors told me how they wanted the line and stack corrected. Each time I have to cut out some portion of my work and correct the plumbing as directed and each time their correction has been not passing for the next inspector. Today the head inspector came out and did not like the situation. When ask about it I said the 1^st inspector wanted all the stacks tied together to eliminate all but one penetration through the roof. Today I was told I could have another penetration through the roof. After cutting the bad plumbing out and capping of the old vertical portion of the venting part which have a slight angle to it, I began to work on the new and improved drain and venting stack for the laundry room.

I was not pleased to hear yet another correction to this system which had been redesigned on three other occasions, but I do like the way I will be able to run the system now. Sometimes there are things which prevent us from being able to comply in the usual manner with all the code requirements. It was that tying all the stacks together that caused the trouble, that and the confinement of installing the P trap in limited space due to the shear wall requirements.

Yes, every time I cut some out, I have thrown money away. Yes, my time is money that I have to eat. But I am working in a new area where I am not known and the inspectors are beginning to understand that I want my projects to be built correctly. The main inspector listened to me talking about the other methods which failed. The inspector also heard my questions concerning the new way to run this plumbing this time. To my amazement I was told just get the parts and dry fit it together and call for the next inspection and we’d work on it together. I have purchased the new needed components and I have run the plumbing the way I started out with, but instead of tying into the other stacks I and vent it through the roof on its own. I fully anticipate being told to glue it up and fill the system with water again.

I could have gotten upset, but that would not have helped the situation. I like my solution but I appreciate a main inspector who has offer to come and work it out with me.

After all we are both aiming at building the best project on that sight humanly possible.  Sometimes these things happen but try to keep a level head and work through the problem.

I will have a video call with the architect to show him my solution before calling for the next inspection again so he can add this detail in his plans in-case someone build this project again. It is vital that you are also a team member on your team-member’s teams.

We have not been going backwards we have slowly moved forward and eliminated options.

There are some added benefits to adding that stack. It will be easier to clean out clogs for one and it gave me another inch to work in the P trap is the other.

I also believe the inspector will take photos to use to help train the other inspectors. Still there is a satisfaction which come from knowing the tasks are done correctly. It would be a waste to through that away because of a few dollars and portion of an hour’s work.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662.  He resides in Southern California.