Me? OCD?? Nah, it wasn't so much a case of being obsessive as it was an understanding of how the local building and construction inspectors think and what they want to see. For trenches, they typically drop a tape and see how deep the trench is. Most trenches are dug to be deep in the middle and shallower along the walls; that is a function of the shape of the tools, shovels et al, that are used. Obviously a baby back hoe or similar would deliver a hole or trench that is more square but in my back yard there was no access for such luxuries so it was hand bomb all the way. Making the trench floor square to the walls also made it a consistent depth from side to side. So, no matter where the inspector dropped that tape, he/she would get the same measurement +/_ and it would be deeper than code minimum wanted. In that situation the inspector really has no valid reason to disprove the work. First inspection approval means the work moves along and keeps the costs down. A inspection rejection means the work has to be redone and then another inspection scheduled. That puts you way down on the schedule since second visits come after the first visits are done; and why the contractors are so picky about the work that the laborers do. Since I was my own contractor, I had to be picky about my work 'cause I had no one to blame but Moi if it didn't get done to spec and make the grade/pass.
Just me trying to dot the "i's" and cross all the "t's" completely the first time. Summer's are only 10 weeks long around here and I wanted at least to have the shell built and hoarded in by fall. As it turned out,it was the day before Christmas when the door guys finally showed up and hung the main door!!
Just me trying to dot the "i's" and cross all the "t's" completely the first time. Summer's are only 10 weeks long around here and I wanted at least to have the shell built and hoarded in by fall. As it turned out,it was the day before Christmas when the door guys finally showed up and hung the main door!!