Farmhouse makeover

CGgater

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I was about ready to kick the inspectors ass over the last inspection - he passed us on the electrical, like a year before, when he did that inspection....then he comes back on the final inspection and tells us we have to replace all of the outlets w/ TR plugs. Very time consuming - time I had over the previous year, but now I wanted this thing passed and ready to use! Took a few hours and another inspection.
I must be getting behind the times... what are TR plugs?
 

crosscreekcooter

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I was about ready to kick the inspectors ass over the last inspection - he passed us on the electrical, like a year before, when he did that inspection....then he comes back on the final inspection and tells us we have to replace all of the outlets w/ TR plugs. Very time consuming - time I had over the previous year, but now I wanted this thing passed and ready to use! Took a few hours and another inspection.

Awesome cabin...looks as though you're all alone up there. Bears, deer? Split face logs or are they rounded inside as well? As to the TR outlets, most municipalities now require those however it's not something that is always enforced. Having to make that change when you are that close to finishing up is a real pisser. It's always hard to argue virtually any code issue because they always are able to turn it into a life safety issue "Hey someones gonna get killed, you don't care?". One of these days they will require locking devices on toilet seats to prevent someone from falling in headfirst and drowning.
 

BMF

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Awesome cabin...looks as though you're all alone up there. Bears, deer? Split face logs or are they rounded inside as well? As to the TR outlets, most municipalities now require those however it's not something that is always enforced. Having to make that change when you are that close to finishing up is a real pisser. It's always hard to argue virtually any code issue because they always are able to turn it into a life safety issue "Hey someones gonna get killed, you don't care?". One of these days they will require locking devices on toilet seats to prevent someone from falling in headfirst and drowning.

I get it w/ the TR outlets...but the same guy passed the inspection a year earlier (it was actually about 15 months earlier). There was a lot of time we didn't do much work due to weather or my cousin not having the time. I could have easily changed those out over the 15 months leading up to that point....but the same inspector tells us on the final inspection to replace them. I was ready to tear his head off because there was some other BS he made us do.

The 'logs' are actually pine siding - so it's not a log cabin. We were going to just put siding on it but one of my cousin's neighbors used the pine siding on his new house and it was only a few thousand dollars more so we used the log siding. It looks great, but there's no logs on the inside. We did do pine tongue and grove on the ceiling and stained it, so it looks pretty good on the inside. It's in Shenandoah County and is very rural, on 3 acres. I've got some questionable/shady neighbors, but it's never been broken into or messed with. We plan to move back to Florida next year, so will likely sell it next spring.
 

Gator By Marriage

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Here's a recent picture (end of last summer, maybe August 2019). I had just re-stained the side and put down new gravel:

21274
It looks nice, but how are we supposed to fit on the deck and porch when you have us all over for your next cookout?
 

BMF

Bad Mother....
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It looks nice, but how are we supposed to fit on the deck and porch when you have us all over for your next cookout?

The front of the deck is 8x24 (covered), then I did the kickout (because I was going to get a jacuzzi - but didn't do it because of renters/airbnb'ers f'king it up). I could get a good 15+ people on the deck. There's a nice gun range out back.

GBM, I tried PM'ing you yesterday but you must have that feature blocked. I've got a question for you about something you mentioned about posting on social media. Send me a PM, if you can.
 
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cover2

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I was about ready to kick the inspectors ass over the last inspection - he passed us on the electrical, like a year before, when he did that inspection....then he comes back on the final inspection and tells us we have to replace all of the outlets w/ TR plugs. Very time consuming - time I had over the previous year, but now I wanted this thing passed and ready to use! Took a few hours and another inspection.
Sounds like the building inspector I used to have to deal with when I did electrical. They can be a dick when they want to, which seems like most of the time. But you have to play by their rules. The guy I used to deal with had a son who was an electrician that didn’t get a lot of work when he was on his own and it sure felt like his daddy took it out on me and the three or four other electricians. But we learned to get along so we could move along.

Your cabin looks great. I bet y’all enjoy every chance you get to go.
 

CGgater

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Awesome cabin...looks as though you're all alone up there. Bears, deer? Split face logs or are they rounded inside as well? As to the TR outlets, most municipalities now require those however it's not something that is always enforced. Having to make that change when you are that close to finishing up is a real pisser. It's always hard to argue virtually any code issue because they always are able to turn it into a life safety issue "Hey someones gonna get killed, you don't care?". One of these days they will require locking devices on toilet seats to prevent someone from falling in headfirst and drowning.
I'm slowly renovating the oldest daughter's house in OH (cheaper than college apt rent). Had to rip out the knob & tube wiring and upgrade. Had a discussion with the city inspector, who was helpful and friendly. I expressed my doubts about the validity of what appeared to be paranoia-driven new code (new requirements for arc-fault protection). He explained it's not anyone asking "what if," but data from fire inspectors following an incident. If they're basing it on historical data, it's harder to criticize the reasoning, IMHO.

But I totally understand the frustration, because I'm experiencing it, too.
 

crosscreekcooter

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I'm slowly renovating the oldest daughter's house in OH (cheaper than college apt rent). Had to rip out the knob & tube wiring and upgrade. Had a discussion with the city inspector, who was helpful and friendly. I expressed my doubts about the validity of what appeared to be paranoia-driven new code (new requirements for arc-fault protection). He explained it's not anyone asking "what if," but data from fire inspectors following an incident. If they're basing it on historical data, it's harder to criticize the reasoning, IMHO.

But I totally understand the frustration, because I'm experiencing it, too.
Some city, county and state building codes allow them to force you to update the entire structire to meet their current codes based entirely on your estimated cost of construction.

I don't disagree with most life safety codes, although sometimes commercial codes are more restrictive. I suppose the general public is less attentive to their surroundings than residential folks. Most states have adopted one revision or other of the ICC IRC. The Life Safety Code is a secondary book of codes and statutes that can and will supercede the ICC codes, generally but not always enforced by the Fire Marshal.

Generally speaking, in MANY local jurisdictions the Building Department performs all inspections, the Fire Marshal generally becomes involved during construction along with the building department during multi-family, mixed use, and pure commercial construction. For instance, in residential construction, a guardrail minimum height is 36". In MF, MU, or Commercial, the handrail must be 42". Please explain why.
The codes are all over the board on stairs. If you build a home, there is no requirement related to the number of risers you are allowed to have in a run of EXTERIOR stairs, however the Life Safety Code says if there is one step, you must have 3, the exception being a one step allowance at street level counting the curb as a step. If there is a run of three risers, you must have a handraill there are several sections in different codebooks that pertain to handrail requitements.
Lastly, while most juridictions and states have done a fairly good job of adopting these codes, they are still enforced by individuals who allow their biases and preferences to cloud their decisions.
Life Safety also deals with hadicap issues, of which there are many. Then you have to include NFPA 70 which includes the National Electric Code. All of these manuals average about 4" in thickness. Fortunately the laws are written as such (at least my experience in the Southeast) that an enforcement official can't make you provide MORE than the code requires.

Good luck with your renovation.
 

CGgater

Gainesville Native
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Jul 30, 2014
10,129
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Some city, county and state building codes allow them to force you to update the entire structire to meet their current codes based entirely on your estimated cost of construction.

I don't disagree with most life safety codes, although sometimes commercial codes are more restrictive. I suppose the general public is less attentive to their surroundings than residential folks. Most states have adopted one revision or other of the ICC IRC. The Life Safety Code is a secondary book of codes and statutes that can and will supercede the ICC codes, generally but not always enforced by the Fire Marshal.

Generally speaking, in MANY local jurisdictions the Building Department performs all inspections, the Fire Marshal generally becomes involved during construction along with the building department during multi-family, mixed use, and pure commercial construction. For instance, in residential construction, a guardrail minimum height is 36". In MF, MU, or Commercial, the handrail must be 42". Please explain why.
The codes are all over the board on stairs. If you build a home, there is no requirement related to the number of risers you are allowed to have in a run of EXTERIOR stairs, however the Life Safety Code says if there is one step, you must have 3, the exception being a one step allowance at street level counting the curb as a step. If there is a run of three risers, you must have a handraill there are several sections in different codebooks that pertain to handrail requitements.
Lastly, while most juridictions and states have done a fairly good job of adopting these codes, they are still enforced by individuals who allow their biases and preferences to cloud their decisions.
Life Safety also deals with hadicap issues, of which there are many. Then you have to include NFPA 70 which includes the National Electric Code. All of these manuals average about 4" in thickness. Fortunately the laws are written as such (at least my experience in the Southeast) that an enforcement official can't make you provide MORE than the code requires.

Good luck with your renovation.
Thanks, you as well! I'm jealous of the cool stuff you're doing and the progress looks great!

It's been a long time since I was an apprentice electrician, but I recall the NEC being taught as "minimum requirements," but the NEC states that code is up to "the local authority having jurisdiction." Meaning the inspector can demand stricter standards.

And of course, there are some inspectors who are jerks, no denying that. Good luck with yours!
 
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