Do it yourselfers are hamstrung?

[peteadams]

quote:

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Of course this will never happen because "the licensed trades" have more policital clout than "joe owner-builder"...

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Then perhaps all the joe owner-builders should get together and work to change this. This irritation against the licensure restrictions is not a new issue. Rob has been wanting to do something about opening up electrical/plumbing work to owner-builders for years. Get together. Do something. Find an amenable councilperson. Find a helpful lawyer. Etc. If the anti-GMO, anti-geothermal hysterics (IMO) can move the county council to produce new laws, maybe a crowd of joe owner-builders could also. Or you could just pre-concede powerlessness and grumble a lot on a forum.

[Seeb]

The contractor laws are state, so basically we got no say unless someone finds someway to get it into a federal court

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob Tucker

While on other topics the issue of constitutional rights have come up.... this requirement by Hawaii to only use licensed trades smacks of unconstitutional to me. I'd donate to a fund to challenge the law to the Hawaii Supreme Court. Need a willing plaintiff and some money.

I see this law as making an assumption of incompetence by the state. We are assumed to be competent to defend ourselves in a court of law on a murder charge but aren't allowed to glue two pieces of ABS together or wire an outlet. I think the local and state governments have the right to tell us if we are doing the work right or wrong (building inspections) but not to tell us we can't do it ourselves.

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Rob has it right folks.

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by peteadams

quote:

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Of course this will never happen because "the licensed trades" have more policital clout than "joe owner-builder"...

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Then perhaps all the joe owner-builders should get together and work to change this. This irritation against the licensure restrictions is not a new issue. Rob has been wanting to do something about opening up electrical/plumbing work to owner-builders for years. Get together. Do something. Find an amenable councilperson. Find a helpful lawyer. Etc. If the anti-GMO, anti-geothermal hysterics (IMO) can move the county council to produce new laws, maybe a crowd of joe owner-builders could also. Or you could just pre-concede powerlessness and grumble a lot on a forum.

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I'm in! I love to grumble AND do something to make change for the better.

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by peteadams

quote:

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Sorry to tell you, but I've seen plenty of union work that was not up to code.

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Should be blazingly obvious that you can find a lot more amateur work that is not up to code.

Why should an inspector assume that a non-professional knows anything at all, anything, about installing electrical or plumbing according to code? I would think if some exemption were carved out for amateur electricians or plumbers, the inspection fee should significantly increase as every detail of the installation should be examined, nothing should be assumed as the inspector might with a professional.

Defeatist attitudes are sad.

And if you want that exemption, feel free to pursue it. This is a governmental situation, you, and every citizen, have ordinary recourse to promote new law and regulations, either working with the governing body or filing suit. It's called progress. Try to complain to Exxon about gas prices or Wall Street for gutting your 401(k).

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[kalakoa]

There's really nothing to grumble about unless you're actively trying to "comply" with the laws and codes.

News flash: County ignores their own laws whenever it suits them. It's easier to just follow their example.

Think about this next time you're creeping up an unpaved "private" road... past a "rooster farm"...

[EightFingers]

There's a third player in all this - insurance companies.

[kalakoa]

Here we go again.

If the bank is paying for it, and they require insurance coverage, then the bank and/or insurance company are within their rights to demand "compliance".

If the bank and/or insurance company aren't involved, the homeowner should be free to do as they see fit, subject to some minimal safety/sanitation requirements.

Given that County didn't see fit to enforce the "pavement before final plat approval" laws which were on the books at the time these "private" subdivisions were created, I see no reason to follow County's mandate that everything must be permitted/inspected.

"Like it matters, like anyone cares..."

[sputnut]

what gets done if you turn in a rooster farm? Anonymously, of course?

comin' your way soon!

[kalakoa]

Keeping of livestock is a "permitted agricultural use".

If living near livestock is a problem, move somewhere that is non-Ag and/or has strict CC&Rs.