This is the $64,000 question. It is asked in so many ways and so unlikely to get an accurate answer that I had to find out for myself. Everyone thinks I know this stuff anyway, so I might as well. If the answer were easy, we would all know it. The problem is that the...
I was recently drawn into a political debate over the Idaho building codes. Turns out that we are a libertarian state. That means the conservative side, which is very strong, has decided that we should be known as the “leave me alone state.” One senator up north even wants to do away with building codes...
What is “Track-out?” Track out is just like it sounds, a situation where a vehicle in most cases travels into soft soil and tracks the soil out of the job site. Minor track-out: Usually dust or light gravel, often seen with heavy traffic over a period of days or more Medium track-out: Any trail of...
I discovered a situation that brings the safety of digging, even after Digline is notified 2 days in advance into question. The assumption I was under is that once the utilities are located it is safe to dig. By Idaho Law, you are obligated to notify Digline if you are digging over 15 inches into...
A client of mine had a fire in a carport. It was sad, her Ford Explorer caught fire spontaneously and set her carport ablaze. It was a freak situation, one of those cars that was eventually recalled because of a faulty cruise control. The fire department was able to save the structure but the lid...
Why of course I am the responsible person, I am responsible for everything. whether it goes right or wrong, my name is on the bottom line. Turns out it also is the term given to the licensed person who is “responsible” for keeping sediment from entering our street drains and ultimately our waterways. The class...
It has been 2 years now, and the EPA’s RRP rule has been an enigma to deal with. What I envisioned as game changing regulation has turned out to be a sheep in wolf’s clothing. I expected a year of educating the public through infomercials and campaigns, followed by some head turning enforcement. Sadly, I...
As a professional residential remodeler, I feel that it is my job to ensure that all of the other remodelers are playing by the same set of rules. So when I see a project that requires proper permits to accomplish, naturally I get nosy. It is not that I am the only one that is...
Late one Saturday afternoon I received a call from a homeowner that had just fired his contractor. My first thought was : Danger-Danger!!! yellow flags Warning- Warning!!! He wanted to hire me to finish things up. It turns out he had fired his carpenter which is an entirely different thing. This doesn’t happen...
A lien is a legal document that can be place upon your home if a contractor, material supplier, or subcontractor is not paid. Often called a mechanics lien, they can be anything from a threat, to a huge distraction and a serious infraction. As a contractor myself, I could place a lien on a...
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