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  Marc L. Brown March 6, 2009 at 9:02am

  Brian, I am an active member and a Director of the Metro NY/NJ ( over 300 members ) Chapter of NESPA ( Region 1 -APSP ) We have had meetings with inspectors as well as go to their meetings to inform them of the new codes. ie; VGB, Covers,SVRS, etc. This has been a great sucess and we plan to do more of these. At our Atlantic City Show in January, we had a code form with over 275 people. Besides our Director and Education Director we had the State Code Offical there to explain what their looking for.
  The problem is there is allways a isolated case/problem with an inspector who wants to strut his/her stuff, it is that stuff that has to be dealt with. I'm sure we all have the one instector who will create a problem and or blow somethig out of proportion. Thats what I was addressing earlier. For anyone else out there. not belonging to APSP or another Assocation. is not an option.
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  Marc L. Brown March 6, 2009 at 8:37am

  Michael Simons said:

  Brian,
  If you have an active local APSP chapter try organizing a group meeting with the head inspector. He can explain what he expects and it is a great forum to voice your concerns or 'real world' application issues.We have had great sucess with this here in Middle Tennessee, whenever some great change comes down the pike that seems to get everyone upset or confussed. It is a very positive and proactive way of demonstating that you care as much or more than they do.
  Our troubles come from building in a number of different counties, where inspectors have different expectations or interpretations of a new code. Having met with the head inspector and clarified the situation we are all on the same page, or as in your situation a page ahead of your local inspector.. Without being a 'smarty pants' having been told how to do it by their boss and letting them know this, the issues dissolve away like a good lithium shock!
  Good luck, Michael.
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  Michael Simons March 6, 2009 at 8:34am

  Brian,
  If you have an active local APSP chapter try organizing a group meeting with the head inspector. He can explain what he expects and it is a great forum to voice your concerns or 'real world' application issues.We have had great sucess with this here in Middle Tennessee, whenever some great change comes down the pike that seems to get everyone upset or confussed. It is a very positive and proactive way of demonstating that you care as much or more than they do.
  Our troubles come from building in a number of different counties, where inspectors have different expectations or interpretations of a new code. Having met with the head inspector and clarified the situation we are all on the same page, or as in your situation a page ahead of your local inspector.. Without being a 'smarty pants' having been told how to do it by their boss and letting them know this, the issues dissolve away like a good lithium shock!
  Good luck, Michael.
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  David Jamieson March 5, 2009 at 1:08pm

  Call the state building inspector. If I understand VGB neither the local building inspector nor the local health inspector have any enforcement authority over the federal law. Make sure your evaluation is correct. VGB does not require that the hydraulics be adjusted, only that the covers be addressed. If there are local laws that go beyond VGB, that is another story. Make sure you have informed the pool owner in writing and there they have signed for it.
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  Marc L. Brown March 4, 2009 at 2:05pm

  Where are you in NY? Are you a APSP - NESPA - Metro member ? If not, whynot? Are you above our area?
  Through our Metro Chapter, we have been tossing this issue around for a long time. It was the CONSPA Chapter of NESPA that got the Licencing bill put through. Since then, we have been, like I said, toying with it. If you have something that you think will work, I would like to persue this with you, as well as bring it back to NESPA and Metro
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  Marc L. Brown March 4, 2009 at 2:00pm

  John Warner said:

  Licensing is a big step, I will be starting an information gathering process to begin to get licensing, based on what CONSPA and NESPA have done, and are doing in Conn. here in NY. This will be a long process, but will take help from others.
  
  Wendy Purser said:

  In NC we (APSP) have approached and are now working with the NC Code Official head and also the NC Dept. of Env. and Natural Health Depts. What has transpired is a willingness of all concerned to work together through this transition period. It includes education not only of our own builders here but also of all the code officials. Soon (once all legislative process is complete) we will all be on basically the same page as the VGB and ANSI/APSP 7 instead of 3 sets of codes and standards to learn and weave through the maze. It has not been easy and many questions are still out there but after 7 months we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks Ray, Carvin, Steve B., Steve G., and Dan J. for all your help. Everyone wants a uniform standard they also all mention licensing for pool builders.....
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  John Warner March 4, 2009 at 1:57pm

  Licensing is a big step, I will be starting an information gathering process to begin to get licensing, based on what CONSPA and NESPA have done, and are doing in Conn. here in NY. This will be a long process, but will take help from others.
  
  Wendy Purser said:

  In NC we (APSP) have approached and are now working with the NC Code Official head and also the NC Dept. of Env. and Natural Health Depts. What has transpired is a willingness of all concerned to work together through this transition period. It includes education not only of our own builders here but also of all the code officials. Soon (once all legislative process is complete) we will all be on basically the same page as the VGB and ANSI/APSP 7 instead of 3 sets of codes and standards to learn and weave through the maze. It has not been easy and many questions are still out there but after 7 months we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks Ray, Carvin, Steve B., Steve G., and Dan J. for all your help. Everyone wants a uniform standard they also all mention licensing for pool builders.....
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  Marc L. Brown March 4, 2009 at 12:24pm

  I certainly agree with these comments. I would go further in advising the Code Official, the inspectors boss, in that municipality of what occurred. I know I try not to ruffle feathers but this is not right of the inspector. I had a similar problem and took it to the mayor with my documentation. He called in the state officials to get to the bottom of the issue and they ( the mayor's office ) called the customer to rectify the problem. Needless to say I lost the customer temporarily as well as that particular job. I got them back later. Bottom line: The inspector got fired for 1) not knowing what he was doing and 2) advising my customer that I was "Ripping Him Off".
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  Wendy Purser March 3, 2009 at 10:07am

  In NC we (APSP) have approached and are now working with the NC Code Official head and also the NC Dept. of Env. and Natural Health Depts. What has transpired is a willingness of all concerned to work together through this transition period. It includes education not only of our own builders here but also of all the code officials. Soon (once all legislative process is complete) we will all be on basically the same page as the VGB and ANSI/APSP 7 instead of 3 sets of codes and standards to learn and weave through the maze. It has not been easy and many questions are still out there but after 7 months we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks Ray, Carvin, Steve B., Steve G., and Dan J. for all your help. Everyone wants a uniform standard they also all mention licensing for pool builders.....
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  Matthew Danner March 2, 2009 at 1:24pm

  As a local inspector, I can speak from a regulatory prospective. Yes, most code officials are uninformed on VGB, but still the question becomes enforcement. I'm not talking about new construction, but rather existing commerical pools. As most of you will agree, VGB act lacks enforcement teeth for federal regulators. If a commercial pool owner decides not to bring their facilities to VGB standards - the feds are not going to come knocking on the door. But rather in the event of an unfortunate accident, trial lawyers and judges would be ultimate enforcers. Even in this building downturn, local jurisdictions have little time to enforce unfunded federal mandates. That being said, I recommend you meeting with the local building official to discuss VGB and appendix G of the IRC. What you will find, is that they know little if any about either. Become a member of your local homebuilders association, hold training classes for inspectors and/or home builders, publish articles in monthly newsletters or your local paper, create a buzz. Positive actions stimulate a willingness to listen. And a mind is much like a parachute, it works better when open. Work with your local pool supply distributor to educate potential clients. Speak with a reporter now that spring is almost here and commercial pools are opening soon. Educate someone today on VGB. What you will likely find is that through positve education, you will become a leader in your juridiction. And that local inspector that now knows all about pools & spas might just even the playing field for you as a business owner. And if you have and questions, feel free to send them my way.
  
  Matthew