building inspector

uge

Gentlemen:
I need some help. I'm originally from Cleve. Ohio but have been living in North Carolina for the past 11 years. I have been an HVAC and plumbing designer for over 45 years. I retired Jan. 2015 and have been working as a consultant to an engineering firm a couple of days a week. With the exception of chilled beams there is not a system out there that I haven't designed. Everything from 4oo lb steam systems to hospitals to the Milwaukee airport. I even had to find the specific gravity of penguin **** in order to design the filtation system at the Cleve Metroparks zoo bird building. And yes, that number is actually in the ASHRAE fundamentals handbook.
My problem is this. My wife for some reason known only to her and the good Lord, wants to move back to Cleveland. She wants to be near her mother, our 2 sons and 8 grandkids. Me, I like it here. Hell, I even got a team going to the Superbowl. The last time the Browns won the NFL championship I was in the 10th grade in '64.
I have 3 offers from consulting firms in Cleveland that will pay me a lot of money. However I will be sitting in an office and frankly I'm really tired of that.
I saw a couple of opportunities for part time plumbing and HVAC inspectors. At least that way I'd be out in the field which I love doing. I know I need to take a test and be certified as an inspector. I've been doing this a long time and am familiar with every code out there. I don't want to take a class. Is there a site I can go to to get a sample test or study aid or something like that to prepare for the exam ? I know the money I'll be making as an inspector is about half of what I make as a consultant but it's not about the money anymore. It's about my sanity. I just can't deal with architects, owners and deadlines anymore. I'll be 68 in August and am so out of shape from sitting on my **** all day long.
I'd really appreciate any help you guys can give me.

Thanks,
uge1

GW

Uge, congratulations on a good career.

Why not just take the darn class? Does your pride forbid you? If you don't you may run the risk of being a "know it all " and trades people loathe these types.

I'm sure you'll be a great and we'll respected inspector.

uge

Thanks Gary.
One thing I learned a long time ago was not to act like a know it all. The first thing I do when I go to a site for a problem is ask the contractor what he thinks will work to solve the problem. I figure it's easier to ask the guy who's actually building it for his solution.
Putting lines on paper is one thing, building it is another. Most times the contractor has a solution and if it isn't a major change I can usually get it done without a change order.
Guess I will just take the class. All I was trying to do was eliminate a step but taking the class makes sense.

SlamDunk

Her roots are in Cleveland! Some established transplants wither & don't survive the relocation. Go back to Cleveland and be happy.

That's how I ended up in North Carolina. Good luck with the 8 grand kids.

Now to send back the remaining 5,999,999 Yankees still here! - just kidding, inside joke if you live in NC.

Go Panthers!

GW

Uge, good deal. I know inspectors must have a hard time with the trades people on occasion.

I see stuff in newer homes all the time and ask myself, "how in the world did the inspector let that one go?"

I'm grateful 95% of the inspectors are good people. Some are a bit loony though. I remember my early years (early 20s), this old fuddy duddy plumbing inspector giving me this look like he wanted to spank me. I wanted to punch him in the nose so bad. I just kept my mouth shut.

have fun back in Cleveland

Gary

Jamie Hall

Building inspector is a good job -- I'm sure you'll enjoy it! (I was one, once upon a time). Just remember that your real job is to protect the health and safety of the folks you are working with. Sometimes, regrettably, it is necessary to be able to quote chapter and verse of your regulations to get someone to cooperate, but usually not -- and remember that if you do have to, and you really know your regs, you can always find something wrong! On the other hand, syrup usually works better than vinegar, and you may find that you can often really help folks a lot.

JUGHNE

If I were you, I would take the class. It will give insight to your new peers. Also the contractors you dealt with on those major projects may be different people types than what you will encounter in this new field. So step in and test the waters. IMHO

PS: you sound like a common sense person, great quality in an inspector. Keeping the "intent of the law" in mind and reaching a compromise if needed.

uge

Thanks for all your comments. Looks like it's back to the great white north. Right now I live in the country in a town of 800 people. I'm on a dead end street with 3 other houses and have a 35 thousand acre lake in my backyard that never freezes. But, happy wife, happy life.

SWEI

I would look into the specifics a bit, starting with the state or county administrative code section that applies to mechanical inspectors. Most places have some sort of process to handle inspectors coming there from other jurisdictions. I'd sniff around that a bit and see what I could find. Challenging the test is the term sometimes used.