Plumbing: \ˈplə-miŋ\ noun
- The system of pipes, tanks, fittings, and other apparatus required for the water supply, heating, and sanitation in a building.
- The last straw in a series of bureaucratic red tape nightmares we’ve had to deal with.
There are a number of specific trades where the city of Chattanooga requires that we hire a professional. These include plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, and roofing, among others, and are clearly in place to support the local unions. Although there is a clause that states that “qualified individuals can get an exemption”, the response was “we never issue those” when we inquired.
I understand that if done wrong, there can be severe complications with some of these areas. However, if you want to wire up your own house, and your brother has logged over 12,000 hours of electrical work in another state, one would think that would be satisfactory. What’s the point of the thorough, required, city-run inspections, if not to protect against a structural or plumbing catastrophe? Why do we have to get separate permits through local professionals as well?
Since Chattanooga is in a huge period of growth, there simply aren’t enough workers in the city to meet the needs. Plumbers wouldn’t even return our phone calls, and inspectors can’t handle the load. On the day we were scheduled for our inspection – which could occur anytime between 7:30am and 4pm – the inspector didn’t even show up. The next day, he apologized and explained that they used to only have a few inspections a day. Now they have 30 each day, but the city claims it’s “just a phase” and refuses to hire more inspectors.
Even if we could find an available plumber, the going rate is around $350 per fixture. In a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower, there is a fixture for each component, both on the supply side and the waste side. So one bathroom is around 350 * 6 = $2100. Then when you factor in other bathrooms, the washer/dryer, sinks, etc, we’re looking at close to $8000. According to our research, if we managed to find a company willing to let us do all the work, and simply sign off on it, they still charge around $300 per fixture. So we’d still have to pay 86% of the cost for the plumber to do nothing! Regardless, John still spent a few days learning the plumbing code and we did the work ourselves in less than a week. Maybe we should consider a career switch…
It seems that all the rules are in place for people who build in the standard way, using a contractor. One would think that the city would be a little more accommodating when it comes to corner cases like us. We have explained and argued our case numerous times, but it continues to fall on deaf ears.
The plumbing for the full bathroom downstairs
The plumbing for the half-bath on the half floor
Well, at least you know the plumbing will be done correctly and be completed so that the building project can continue! Good job!! It was nice seeing you both in Madison. Take care. Tom
Ughhhhh. I feel you when it comes to getting “qualified” people out to do work. And even if you DO get ahold of someone, if your job isn’t something he/she would like to do, they just won’t call you back. John and his brother are most certainly doing a better job, and doing it more efficiently, than most professionals in the area could do. I can’t figure out why they won’t simply have the inspector come out when the job is done to make sure it’s good.