Deck

[Stephen B]

I don't recall what the arguement was about, but i was constructing something in a neighboring town where the BI had a bad rep with outsiders.  I had about exhausted my arguements, so i went to my truck and brought out the code book, which, as having been forewarned, just happened to have been in the glove compartment and just happened to be opened to the page needed. My solution actually exceeded both the town and state codes.  I had a tendency to over build in a lot of situations, and this happened to be one of those problems.  The BI did not even venture to peek, but looking me straight in the eye, he said, "Young man," with strong emphasis on the 'Young' part, "In this town, I am the the code."  I did it his way.

A year or two later, i became a resident in that town.  From that point on, he never saw anything but good in my work.
Tinker

Or put another way, leave something for the BI to find fault, and they will be happy!

 

[Wooden Lungs]

Unfortunately in Ireland there is no real building control in place unlike the UK where it is very strict and rightly so.

I have found the UK system to work really well and have dealt with several different regions in the UK with few issues.It keeps the cowboy builders at bay in my opinion. I have found nearly all the building inspectors to be very competent and keen to offer advice. When I worked in Ireland some of the works carried out were sub standard due to lack of inpections and procedures in place.
It has been ammended this year so hopefully things will change. I remember one architect in Ireland saying the control system in place was akin to somalia.

Harsh but true.......http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/BuildingStandards/News/MainBody,32735,en.htm