Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Eagan Inspectors ride herd on Eagan home boom - 3/25/1987
Star Tribune
Shelter Saturday
March 25/1989
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Staff Photos by Charles Bjorgen.
Bill Bruestle, an Eagan building inspector, examined a fire break designed to prevent Bruestle and Dirk House, right, another inspector, discussed a minor lumber defect with
the spread of fire inside the walls. Steve Leonard of Eckblad and Leonard Custom Homes.
Inspectors r■
~e her on Eagan home oom
By Ingrid Sandstrom E ach step of constru~ti~r.~ ~h.~Cked $325.000 house in the southwest
Staff Writer corm r of the city to the insulation
is ° on th~•e poured-concrete foundation
At 3:45 one morning this week, Bill of a $75,000 house in central Eagan.
Bcue;tle pulled his red City of were sound, properly placed and together. The floor will hold." seven inspectors about four years
Eagan pickup truck in front of a met the code. ago. "We like to call it protective In the first house where he found
huge $325,000 house under For Bruestle, it was one of hundreds work. It's good to have an the shortened floor joist, he also
construction. He grinned and Through a dinner-plate-sized hole of houses and remodeling projects inspection - good for the found a gouge in another 2-by-10
waved in response to the the cut in the floor for plumbing, he he'll inspect in a year. Eagan, the contractor, good for the floor joist. He discussed it with the
carpenters' cheery, "Hi, Bill." noted that a joist had been cut off a fastest-growing city in the homeowner. We make sure the construction supervisor, who
few inches from the outside wall metropolitan area, has issued houses meet code, and maybe a amicably agreed to bolt a second
Bruestle, a city building inspector, and knelt down to feel around permits for more than 22,000 little better. We don't deal with joist alongside the damaged one to
was there to check the place out - a inside the hole. homes since 1980. cosmetic things, just safety of the help support the living room floor
framing inspection, one of at least structure." above. At a another house, Bruestle
12 required on new houses in "It's okay," he said, standing up "It's eyeball and knowledge," said noticed that the exterior sheathing
Minnesota. He scrutinized the load- and brushing the sawdust off his Bruestle, who was in the home- In the first two hours of one day this wasn't secured in a couple of
places,
bearing walls and inspected the knees. "There are two other joists building business for 30 years week, Bruestle inspected four
floor and roof trusses to see that all right there and they're braced before becoming one of Eagan's houses - from the framing of a Inspectors continued on page 4R
■
4R Saturday/March 25/1989/Star Tribune
INSPECTORS: State has uniform building code
Continued from page 1R a set their own salary schedules.
a
and made a note to contact the Building inspection departments are
builder. among three governmental bodies
charged with protecting public health
"Most of the builders around here and safety; the others are police and
are pretty good," he said. "They s fire departments, Berdahl said.
know what to do, and sometimes
they even consult with us - we're zn~~ "A lot of people probably don't
pretty much up on the new codes all realize that, because everyone sees
the time. It just would cost them so the police and fire departments with
much to redo something if it's not their sirens and fast vehicles," he
none right; it just wouldn't make said.
sense to do it wrong. Sometimes, and
this might surprise you, if a builder a_• Building inspectors are to be
sees he's done something wrong, he'll .o.~ distinguished from housing
even bring it to our attention so we :A r inspectors, who are charged with
i Its.
responding to concerns in and
can check back on it when it's fixed '
g
r around existing buildings. Many new
New homes under construction in cities don't have housing inspectors,
Eagan and most cities across but in Minneapolis and St. Paul, for
Minnesota must undergo at least 12 example, they are the ones to call
inspections, plus a plan review by a with concerns about whether
city inspector or planner before neighborhood buildings are up to
construction begins. They inspect f. code, about weedy vacant lots,
foundation footings and foundations, junked cars in yards, sagging garages
and framing, electrical, plumbing and a ; and houses where garbage has piled
heating and air conditioning E up.
installations. They also check t '
fireplaces, insulation, decks, siding, € Housing inspectors also became the
roofing and basement floors.` focus of a scandal in 1980 after a
WCCO-TV I-Team followed 10
Builders in all Minnesota to w Minneapolis housing inspectors and
communities must meet a state code filmed several goofing off and doing
a, .,Y d
that the Minnesota Legislaturef y' personal errands when they were
'
adopted in 1972. Before that, many. supposed to be working. After the I-
cities had no building codes, and x rte" Team report, two inspectors were
there were inconsistencies among fired, seven others and a supervisor
those that did have codes, said Elroy were suspended for three to 40 days
r`
Berdahl, Minnesota's building codes and one inspector was reprimanded.
supervisor.
° While there often are complaints and
The codes, based on proven occasional grumblings about building
engineering tests, outline a uniform g inspectors, Berdahl said the
set of procedures and minimum professionalism of inspectors has
standards for effective and safe increased significantly over the past
construction practices. Building 15 to 20 years.
inspectors are charged with seeing
that those standards are met. He said he's not aware that anyone in
Staff Photo by Charles Bjorgen Minnesota has been convicted of
Most cities require permits for any taking bribes.
remodeling that includes structural Bill Bruestle examined a house's framing, one of at least 12 inspections
changes, electrical or plumbing work, that are performed as construction progresses. "We'd be the first ones to initiate
even replacing a toilet or building a action on something like that,"
deck, and for new construction for a professional inspectors to see if you home's value, increasing property Berdahl said. "Every inspector has to
home, garage or addition. did it right to make sure you and taxes. get a lot of experience and training to
your family and your house are safe," be certified as a building official or
Homeowners sometimes grumble said D. George Olson, Minneapolis "Well, there's a good possibility that building inspector. It's a
about being required to get a building building inspections supervisor. could happen, but some things don't tremendously responsible position.
permit that may cost as much as the "Our inspection is an independent raise taxes - such as maintenance But in order for someone to be on the
work being done. For example, verification that the minimum things, like a new roof," Olson said. take, they'd have to have a
Minneapolis requires a $21.50 permit standards have been met." tremendous offering for them to even
to have an electrical outlet installed. Besides, when it's time to sell and consider .it because if they should
The permit in Eagan would cost $1.2. Olson acknowledged that some prospective buyers ask if the lose their certification - and the way
homeowners may not get a permit addition, or deck, or finished attic or word passes among city fathers, even
"The whole object of getting a for improvements because they fear basement had been inspected, it state to state - they'd probably
permit, though, is to have one of our the city assessors will reevaluate their could affect the sale, even if the work never be able to work in that field
was done properly, Berdahl said. again."
Builders organizations urged Jeff Fazendin, president of Bradley
Questions and answers adoption of the minimum building Building Corp. in Minnetonka and
code, which was taken from the 1989 president of the Minneapolis
national Uniform Building Code, as Builders Association, said he and
about permit, inspection well as many of the subsequent most builders he knows hold
changes -such as improved energy inspectors in the highest regard.
standards mandated in the late
Here are answers to some questions plumbing, electrical and heating/air 1970s, Berdahl said. Cities and other "Basically sometimes if there's a
often asked of building inspectors: conditioning work, Locke said. In municipalities establish their own fee problem, it's not the inspector, it's
Eagan, permits are priced according schedules and certain inspection the law being a little onerous," he
■ Where do I get a building permit? to the type of job, said Steve Hanson, requirements. Inspectors must be said. "They're real professionals, and
assistant building official there. For certified under state guidelines, they keep us up to date on what's
At city hall. Each municipality instance, he said, a permit to add a which includes passing an happening with the codes. Their
regulates its own building, electrical, deck to a house is $26.50, and to examination. Many inspectors also professionalism is like night and day
plumbing or mechanical inspections. remodel a basement is $37. are experienced builders, carpenters, from 15 years ago, when we didn't
Some may contract with independent plumbers or electricians. Electrical have the uniform codes, and we were
inspectors, but permits are available ■ What inspections are required - and plumbing inspectors must also dealing with each individual's
in each municipality. and when? be certified as either plumbers or opinion.
electricians.
■ What does a permit cost? The state building code requires a "Now they are better-educated and
specific number of inspections for Building inspectors in the Twin more helpful. I think most of us
Each municipality sets its own different projects; for instance, a Cities metro area are paid between builders believe they play an
permit costs. In Minneapolis, costs minimum of 12 inspections are $27,000 and $34,000 a year, said important cooperative role, and can
generally are tied to the value of the required on a new single-family Steve Hanson, assistant building be really helpful when something
lob. A permit isn't required for house, but a deck requires two. official for Eagan. Individual cities goes wrong."
construction or remodeling up to a Contractors or homeowners call for
value of $500, unless it involves inspections according to their permit
structural, electrical or plumbing requirements. Some municipalities
work. Permits range, for instance, may require a one-day notice.
from $21.50 for up to about $1,300 Buy now and receive
worth of work, to $41 for $3,000 ■ What do I need to submit to get a
worth, to $83 for $10,000 worth and building permit? You can save as much a
so on, according to D. George Olson, , a new home this spring
Minneapolis supervisor of That depends on the size of the
inspections. In St. Paul, permit fees project. A verbal description on a conditioning, upgrade
range from a $15 minimum for up to small project may be all that's needed THOUSANDS. optional design feature:
$500 worth of work, and go up based in some communities, while two sets Contact your Lundgren
on the value of the work; the city of detailed drawings and plans are I YOUR
choice for more inform
charges $117 for a permit for $10,000 needed for most larger projects. You
worth of work, according to Ed might also need a site plan or
Locke, city plan examiner. Permits certificate of survey showing the Choose from eight pi
the Twin Cities.
for new houses would range from proposed location and you'll need an
NEW
about $650 to $1,000 in St. Paul; estimated cost of the project.
additional permits are needed for ' Our neighborhoods offi
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