Huge mistake -help!!

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portia85

portia85

0
Jun 30, 2018
31
Sacramento, CA
Hi All,

Per my previous post I am in the owner builder process. Everything has been going great up until tonight. I was going over my building permit in preparation to schedule my pre deck inspection and I realized I forgot to schedule the pre-gunite electrical and plumbing inspection...on the plus side I did schedule and pass the steel (barely a plus in this situation). I honestly am just sick over it. The gunite has already been shot and the trenches were backfilled just a couple of days ago in preparation for decking. Just wanted to get input on what may happen? I’m thinking opening the trenches back up but what about the gunite? Do you think the building department will say it needs to be torn out redone? Maybe just pay a fine? I honestly can’t believe I made such an idiotic mistake but can’t take it back now. I’m going to speak with the building department on Monday but I will be thinking about this all weekend. Any input is appreciated.
 
Pictures..................lots of pictures printed out big...............hope they show what they need to see. I would make sure tell them you have started opening the trenches for that part of it so they know you are willing to go the extra mile to work with them. I think you will be okay but that is only my gut talking. Let us know what happens so we can learn with you.
 
A lot depends on the subs who did the work. If they are people that the inspector knows from other projects and the inspector knows that they do it right, that might be enough if they are there for the inspection and verify the work.

The plumbing can be pressure tested like it is to verify the integrity of the plumbing.

The bonding can be checked for continuity. Electrical can be checked to a degree to verify that everything is done correctly.

The subs should be there when the inspector comes out so that they can verify the work.
 
Thank you all! I swear waking up this morning was like waking up from a bad dream. I hired the same sub to do the excavation, steel, electrical, and plumbing and he has been amazing. I am going to give him a call this morning. I will absolutely keep you all updated on the situation!
 
kimkats said:
Pictures..................lots of pictures printed out big...............hope they show what they need to see. I would make sure tell them you have started opening the trenches for that part of it so they know you are willing to go the extra mile to work with them. I think you will be okay but that is only my gut talking. Let us know what happens so we can learn with you.
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Do you think I should schedule the inspection and have the inspector come out and then explain what happened? Or do you think I should go to the building department and explain first?
 
Where are you building? It's all going to depend on the inspector. If it's a laid back area and the guy is cool so long as you pay the inspection fees and show him pictures you should be ok. Its important to remember that you are the client not some contractor, obviously it's in your own best interest to make sure the work is done properly. I'm sure the inspector will view it from that perspective as well and not beat you up over it too much.
 
poolnovice88 said:
Where are you building? It's all going to depend on the inspector. If it's a laid back area and the guy is cool so long as you pay the inspection fees and show him pictures you should be ok. Its important to remember that you are the client not some contractor, obviously it's in your own best interest to make sure the work is done properly. I'm sure the inspector will view it from that perspective as well and not beat you up over it too much.
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I’m building in Sacramento. The city, not county, has jurisdiction over my property.
 
portia85 said:
Hi All,

Per my previous post I am in the owner builder process. Everything has been going great up until tonight. I was going over my building permit in preparation to schedule my pre deck inspection and I realized I forgot to schedule the pre-gunite electrical and plumbing inspection...on the plus side I did schedule and pass the steel (barely a plus in this situation). I honestly am just sick over it. The gunite has already been shot and the trenches were backfilled just a couple of days ago in preparation for decking. Just wanted to get input on what may happen? I’m thinking opening the trenches back up but what about the gunite? Do you think the building department will say it needs to be torn out redone? Maybe just pay a fine? I honestly can’t believe I made such an idiotic mistake but can’t take it back now. I’m going to speak with the building department on Monday but I will be thinking about this all weekend. Any input is appreciated.
Click to expand...

Call the inspector, explain what happened, and see what they say, have the names of the subs that did the actual work, your probably not the first person to have missed an inspection, if you have pictures or video of what it looked like before the gunite was shot, they may be happy to inspect the photos/video and sign off on it, especially if they know the subs, and the quality of work that sub does.

Now remember the primary individual protected by inspections, is the customer, it's intended to make sure that a contractor and the subs are doing the work properly, since your essentially self-contracting, it's less of a problem, then when you hire a pool builder, to do the work.\
 
wogster said:
Call the inspector, explain what happened, and see what they say, have the names of the subs that did the actual work, your probably not the first person to have missed an inspection, if you have pictures or video of what it looked like before the gunite was shot, they may be happy to inspect the photos/video and sign off on it, especially if they know the subs, and the quality of work that sub does.

Now remember the primary individual protected by inspections, is the customer, it's intended to make sure that a contractor and the subs are doing the work properly, since your essentially self-contracting, it's less of a problem, then when you hire a pool builder, to do the work.\
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Thank you for the advice. Luckily I have taken a lot of pictures and videos so hoping that will work!
 

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Good luck! Around here if the inspector could not inspect that would mean an open inspection on your property and you would not be able to get another permit until the previous inspection was closed out. And of course on the sale that open inspection would still be there. Hopefully he will accept the pictures most usually do. I had an open inspection on my property that I didn't even know about. When I got my new A/C they were supposed to call in for a final inspection but never did. The pool inspector came out anyway and told me I had an open inspection for the A/C. He was very nice and said it would be him that would have inspected it anyway and he would just go ahead and close it (without inspection).
 
PoolGate said:
Good luck! Around here if the inspector could not inspect that would mean an open inspection on your property and you would not be able to get another permit until the previous inspection was closed out. And of course on the sale that open inspection would still be there. Hopefully he will accept the pictures most usually do. I had an open inspection on my property that I didn't even know about. When I got my new A/C they were supposed to call in for a final inspection but never did. The pool inspector came out anyway and told me I had an open inspection for the A/C. He was very nice and said it would be him that would have inspected it anyway and he would just go ahead and close it (without inspection).
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Thank you for the feedback. What exactly does an open inspection mean? Would they allow me to complete the project or would construction come to a stop all together?
 
portia85 said:
Thank you for the feedback. What exactly does an open inspection mean? Would they allow me to complete the project or would construction come to a stop all together?
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It depends on your area. In mine, that heater was installed 3 years ago but if you looked in the online permits for my county it showed as "open" since the final inspection was never done and the permit not closed out. I don't think it means much here other than the possible trouble getting a permit for something new like I mentioned. I don't think they would issue a "stop work order" on something like that but they might if they found out about it. I suppose if they really thought it was unsafe they could condemn it until it was inspected.
 
PoolGate said:
It depends on your area. In mine, that heater was installed 3 years ago but if you looked in the online permits for my county it showed as "open" since the final inspection was never done and the permit not closed out. I don't think it means much here other than the possible trouble getting a permit for something new like I mentioned. I don't think they would issue a "stop work order" on something like that but they might if they found out about it. I suppose if they really thought it was unsafe they could condemn it until it was inspected.
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Thanks for the clarification. Will let you all know what happens on Monday!
 
As a local Sacramento Pool Contractor this has happened many times believe it or not typically what the city will require is a company to come in and take X-rays of the pool to check the distance between the rebar, where the bonding is and to also put a electrical charge on the bonging system to ensure proper ground.
 
For my pregunite/electrical/plumbing the inspector pretty much only looked at to make sure 1) the pvc/electrical pipes had enough 2 part cement and 2) that the pipes were deep enough, he actually measured in a few spots and had the guys fix a couple of areas that were like 1-2" not deep enough.

So most likely if it were me I would expose the piping maybe in 3 areas to show it's buried at the right depth. Can't help on the pregunite part.
 

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