This past Wednesday we had our Rough in Inspection for Framing and Electrical on the outbuilding. My electrician was well aware the inspection was happening, as we had talked about it on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. However, on Wednesday, he was not there. And the inspector failed the electrical for the reason "install bonding bushing & jumper". Now this gave me a sense of Déjà vu because that was the same reason we had originally failed our Service inspection. Back then after talking to the inspector he passed us, so that we could energize and have electricity on site. So, since the electrician was not there I had the inspector show me exactly what he was looking for. And put it in the simplest terms so that I could show Jim. I felt ok about the inspection because the framing passed (remember, we built this thing ourselves-Go Tom and Alex) and I felt that I could explain to Jim what needed to be done. Not to mention that it seemed we could start storing a few items out there (to get the current house ready to go on the market).So I left a voice-message for Jim and on Thursday morning 6:30 I got his return call. He disagreed! So I told him that I would meet him at the property and we could discuss. Upon arrival he marched me over to the OB and headed straight for the rear, where the electric meter is. I stuttered, "Jim, the inspector showed me something on the inside panel..." He proceed to snip open the ComEd lock and remove the panel and say "Do you have your cell phone? Take a picture of that." Well, of course I have my phone, it helps to have one, maybe he should think about getting one (I did not say this aloud, I simply took the picture). He tried to explain to me that since the OB did not have any copper (plumbing) that he grounded to the outside. The inspector hadn't opened the outside, so I could understand now how this picture was needed. So after asking Jim if he could just go ahead and do the requested work, since it wouldn't hurt anything and would satisfy the inspectors request, and him basically saying no (he was upset b/c "the code doesn't require it"), I proceeded back to my car. I emailed the picture to the inspector and then called his number, hoping to catch him before he headed out for the day. I got lucky. He reviewed the picture and even ran it past some others there before calling me back to say that the requirement was still needed. I asked him to put it in terms that I could understand, which were something along these lines....bonding and grounding are different. Slightly. The request was to have all metal parts connect and go to neutral. When I went back in the house to tell Jim, he said that the request "made sense electrically, even if it wasn't required per code." He would take care of it.
Fast forward to 4pm. Alex was now at the site afterwork, so I had him ask Jim if I could order the re-inspection. He say "Nope, he's sending his guy up there to talk to them." What!?!? I was confused, what had changed from 8am? So I picked up the phone and called the inspector again. And got lucky again, that he was back from his day of inspections and took my call. I told him how my electrician was getting ready to send someone up there tomorrow to discuss the requirement and I would just rather handle it. That the electrician was disputing where this was in "the code." And if he could just point me to the code, I would give that to my electrician and we'd be on our way. As he looked at the picture again and hemmed and hawwed, he then said we were "fine". What did this mean? My comments to him, were "even if we are fine, per code, if it is your professional opinion that doing this would make the electrical system safer, please let me know". I have always felt the inspectors are there for the homeowner's behalf. I certainly didn't want him to just get steamrolled. He asked if he could call me back (which I took to mean he was getting a second opinion). When he called me back he said that we were "100% good to go." "Are you sure?" "Yes." We talked a bit about the house, having the same problem, but I guess we will cross that bridge when it comes.
On a final note, I took a picture of the back of Jim's truck. Just because I was impressed with how neat, clean and organized it was. Don't see that much in trades. P.S. From what I've seen it translates to our job.
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