# signs of a good inspector when dealing with a contractor



## cda (May 5, 2012)

insert contractor where it says child:::

■Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?

 ■Do you hear better through one ear than the other when you are on the telephone?

 ■Do you have trouble following the conversation with two or more people talking at the same time?

 ■Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?

 ■Do you have to strain to understand conversation?

 ■Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?

 ■Do you have trouble hearing in restaurants?

 ■Do you have dizziness, pain, or ringing in your ears?

 ■Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?

 ■Do family members or coworkers remark about your missing what has been said?

 ■Do many people you talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?

 ■Do you misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?

 ■Do you have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?

 ■Do people get annoyed because you misunderstand what they say?

■Your child is inconsistently responding to sound.

 ■Language and speech development is delayed.

 ■Speech is unclear.

 ■Volume is turned up high on electronic equipment (radio, TV, CD player, etc.).

 ■Your child does not follow directions.

 ■Your child often says, "Huh?"

 ■Your child does not respond when called.

if you said yes to any of the above, you have no problem dealing with contractors, if you said no, refer to the following site:::

http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/Self-Test.htm


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## KZQuixote (May 5, 2012)

cda said:
			
		

> insert contractor where it says child:::■Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?
> 
> ■Do you hear better through one ear than the other when you are on the telephone?
> 
> ...


Classic anti-contractor slur which ignores the fundamental reality that if we contractors didn't build it you inspectors couldn't inspect it. Two sides of the same coin, figure it out!

Bill


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## cda (May 5, 2012)

I agree if it was built correctly we would be out of a job


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## ICE (May 5, 2012)

Dictionary of Construction Terminology

Contractor - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.

Bid Opening - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.

Bid - A wild guess carried out to two decimal places.

Low Bidder - A contractor who is wondering what he left out.

Engineer''s Estimate - The cost of construction in heaven.

Project Manager - The conductor of an orchestra in which every musician is in a different union.

Critical Path Method - A management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control.

OSHA - A protective coating made by half-baking a mixture of fine print, red tape, split hairs and baloney--usually applied at random with a shotgun.

Strike - An effort to increase egg production by strangling the chicken.

Delayed Payment - A tourniquet applied at the pockets.

Completion Date - The point at which liquidated damages begin.

Liquidated Damages - A penalty for failing to achieve the impossible.

Auditor - Person who goes in after the war is lost and bayonets the wounded.

Lawyer - Person who goes in after the auditors to strip the bodies.


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## ICE (May 5, 2012)

A pastor, a doctor and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly

slow group of golfers.

The engineer fumed, “What’s with these guys? We must have been waiting for 15 minutes!”

The doctor chimed in, “I don’t know, but I’ve never seen such ineptitude!”

The pastor said, “Hey, here comes the greens keeper. Let’s have a word with him.”

“Hi George. Say, what’s with that group ahead of us? They’re rather slow, aren’t they?”

The greens keeper replied, “Oh, yes, that’s a group of blind firefighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime.”

The group was silent for a moment.

The pastor said, “That’s so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight.”

The doctor said, “Good idea. And I’m going to contact my ophthalmologist buddy and see if there’s anything he can do for them.”

The engineer said, “Why can’t these guys play at night?”


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## ICE (May 5, 2012)




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## GBrackins (May 5, 2012)

one heck of a carpenter ....


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## incognito (May 6, 2012)

I prefer to think a good inspector has the ability to educate contractors and do-it-yourselfers in a respectful manner so that he is not continually writing up the same old stuff.


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## Francis Vineyard (May 6, 2012)

*The sardonic thing about these videos is there’s no option for closed captioned!*

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/witnessed-discrimination-deaf-job-applicants/story?id=12822039

*http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/witnessed-discrimination-deaf-job-applicants/story?id=12822039*

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYZClMeQcOw&feature=player_detailpage*

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Og1GqFWEXMs*



*The Lip Reader *



Jerry and George are at the U.S. Open where George mentions that he had invited his girlfriend Gwen to a party. Jerry says this is a bad idea, as he cannot socialize with others when he is with his girlfriend. George buys an ice cream sundae at the match and eats it, getting the chocolate all over his face, which is caught by the cameras and broadcast on television. Jerry becomes smitten with the lineswoman, and when he tries to get her attention it appears as if she is ignoring him. Only after she turns around does Jerry realize that she is deaf.

Elaine, who is using the company car service to travel, is tired of all the chatty drivers - so to avoid talking to one she pretends to be deaf. However her plan fails when she "hears" the radio message to the driver to pick up Tom Hanks. To make it up to the driver, who was disgusted with her feigned deafness, she gets him tickets to a rock concert.

Jerry tells Kramer about the deaf lineswoman, Laura (Marlee Matlin). Kramer claims to know sign language because a deaf cousin lived with him for a year. He then gets an idea to become a ball-man (corrected from ball boy) and asks Jerry to find out from Laura how to get the job.

Gwen breaks up with George, saying "it's not you; it's me"; George is offended, as he considers this to be _his_ signature break-up line. Kramer tells George about seeing him on TV with the pudding on his face, which George believes to be the reason for Gwen breaking up with him. Jerry takes George as the third wheel on a date with Laura, and they find out that Laura can eavesdrop on people by lip reading. George then gets the idea to take Laura to a party to read his girlfriend's lips to see what she is saying about him. After the date Jerry asks if he can pick up Laura at six for the party ("How about six?"), which she misinterprets as 'sex' ("How about sex?") and leaves him in a huff.

Kramer goes for the ball boy tryouts and aces it, getting the job. Jerry tells George about the 'six/sex' misunderstanding and that he straightened it out with Laura. Newman enters and asks to 'borrow' Laura to spy on his supervisor, and, not surprisingly, Jerry refuses. Later, in the limo, they find out that the driver has gone slightly deaf from sitting near the speakers at a Metallica concert: the same concert for which Elaine had given him tickets. When he recognizes Elaine, the driver throws everyone out of his cab.

They arrive late to the party and meet Laura who has a brief and nonsensical sign language conversation with Kramer. When Gwen arrives, Laura watches her conversation with Todd and signs to Kramer who voices it out loud. The conversation is surprisingly mundane - about peas, pea soup, carrots and carrot soup (a subtle joke; "silent" extras often mouth the phrase "peas and carrots" to give the illusion of conversation). However, when Todd asks Gwen if she wants to sweep with him after the party, it is misinterpreted as 'sleep' with him. George becomes hysterical. He runs up to them and rants about the disloyalty. When Gwen corrects him, he starts shouting at Laura and Kramer. When Laura and Kramer start arguing and signing furiously, she accidentally hits George in the eye. He topples over a table and crashes the party.

Later, the group are seen at a tennis match where Kramer is the ball man. Kramer rushes at the ball and accidentally knocks down and knocks out Monica Seles. After the match, Laura gets into the limo with the same chatty driver. When he starts talking to her, she explains to him, "I'm deaf." He turns back with a slightly agitated and dubious expression before the credits roll.

Francis


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## cda (May 6, 2012)

incognito said:
			
		

> I prefer to think a good inspector has the ability to educate contractors and do-it-yourselfers in a respectful manner so that he is not continually writing up the same old stuff.


I agree, I just do not like the ones that are on the four year college plan


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## ICE (May 6, 2012)

incognito said:
			
		

> I prefer to think a good inspector has the ability to educate contractors and do-it-yourselfers in a respectful manner so that he is not continually writing up the same old stuff.


There's only just so much stuff in the codes.  It's all old at this point.

Respectful is good....but then who's perfect?

Respectful is not to be confused with subservient.

The person in the picture called for framing inspection. (go look now)

The shear walls have been covered without the electrical or plumbing work having been done.

The walls are existing exterior walls of a house and garage from the 1960s and anchor bolts/HDs were not installed which shall be 5/8" at 24"oc with an HD at each end.

Special inspection required.

Along with other mistakes, the only ladder is the stepladder in the picture.

As I was leaving the guy asked me "What about the roof"?

I said "What about the roof"?

He said, "Can I cover the roof"?

I said, "I wasn't able to inspect the roof because there isn't a ladder that's tall enough".

With unbridled anger he said, "I have a roofing crew coming tomorrow".

I said' "You shouldn't be involved with construction work".

I have never fully understood what drives people to become angry ***holes.  Is the desired outcome that the inspector take back a correction?  Are we back on the playground and you want the swing?  Did you eat lunch alone all through school?

Not to worry, I will persevere in a dogged pursuit of compliant construction.  I will let creativity flourish in the delivery of corrections.  You will not learn to like me nor respect me but you will know that you suck.


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## peach (May 6, 2012)

fail it and move on; give them a code sections (respectfully).  After they pay enough re-inspection fees, they get the idea.

One developer we work with - the project managers personally pay for the reinspections.  We don't see many of the same violations with them.


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## ICE (May 6, 2012)

peach said:
			
		

> *fail it and move on; give them a code sections (respectfully).*  After they pay enough re-inspection fees, they get the idea.One developer we work with - the project managers personally pay for the reinspections.  We don't see many of the same violations with them.


And with that, there is no consequence for being an ***hole.  I reserve the right to at least twist their noses.


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## steveray (May 7, 2012)

Thanks ICE.......I have the strange desire to make this my signature......although I would probably friendly it up a bit..... 

    "Not to worry, I will persevere in a dogged pursuit of compliant construction. I will let creativity flourish in the delivery of corrections. You will not learn to like me nor respect me but you will know that you suck."


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## globe trekker (May 7, 2012)

As long as there are no "requirements" for the contractors to actually get into the

code books and have some level of continuing education, this will always be the

norm.


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## fireguy (May 7, 2012)

globe trekker said:
			
		

> As long as there are no "requirements" for those  involved in construction to actually get into thecode books and have some level of continuing education, this will always be the
> 
> norm.


Fixed it for you.  I am thinking of the last 3 commercial kitchen exhaust systems I saw installed.   Penetrations into the sheet metal, non-UL compliant access panels, non-UL compliant sealant, combustable overhang directly over the wall mounted exhaust fan, no air movement calcs done before or after the install, red silicone used as a sealant.  I am starting two fire suppression installs soon.  I am sure I will see the same problems done at the install and allowed to pass.


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## Sandman (May 7, 2012)

Residential Construction Economics 101

1)	Middle class family in suburbia is outgrowing their small home and need an addition built. Lots of stress, anxiety, uncertainty along with excitement and anticipation involved in the decision. This is a very complex and sizable investment.

2)	Applies for loan and provides pay stubs, tax returns, account statements, contractor’s license, estimate, schedule, plans, and proof of insurance.

3)	Bank approves loan and agrees to disburse money as construction proceeds.

4)	Municipal inspector in a little white Ford Ranger drives up, spends 3-7 minutes on the project and issues a red tag because there isn’t a ladder available. Then goes to the closest convenience store for a corn dog and a Mountain Dew.

5)	Bank refuses to disperse due to failed inspection. Project is delayed.

6)	Inspector meets other government employees at the convenience store and posts a funny photo of a tradesman who has worked hard all day and a short ladder leaning against the wall. All other municipal inspectors giggle and comment while devouring corn dogs and slurping Mountain Dews.

7)	Homeowners drive up after working hard all day and discover that their inspection failed because the ladder was too short. Contractor cannot adequately explain and rolls up for the day.

8)	Inspector goes home and counts the days to his retirement when the jurisdiction will pay monthly and provide medical and dental coverage for the rest of his life. Inspector hopes to spend his golden years fishing and building and selling little wooden clocks from kits.

9)	Homeowner loses job due to the global recession, bank forecloses on the house, contractor goes bankrupt and inspector takes another funny photo, issues another redtag and giggles.


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## ICE (May 7, 2012)

Short ladders should come with a warning about ruining your life.


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## mtlogcabin (May 7, 2012)

Sandman

Great post

Full size Chevy's and we carry our own ladders to use when needed

Customer service is still alive in some small rural jurisditions.

Yes contractors are our customers


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## ICE (May 7, 2012)

And the customer is always right.


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## Builder Bob (May 8, 2012)

Customer service is the ability to inform and educate a person about code violations.....not beating them over the head with code book.


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## cda (May 8, 2012)

Builder Bob said:
			
		

> Customer service is the ability to inform and educate a person about code violations.....not beating them over the head with code book.


that is why I stopped carrying a metal clip board, city got tired of the lawsuits.


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## ICE (May 8, 2012)

Builder Bob said:
			
		

> Customer service is the ability to inform and educate a person about code violations.....not beating them over the head with code book.


And the angry ***hole with his short ladder.....where should his education begin.....standing in the corner works for me


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## pwood (May 8, 2012)

ICE said:
			
		

> And the angry ***hole with his short ladder.....where should his education begin.....standing in the corner works for me


   have him show you how easy it is to get on the roof with it and them take the ladder and leave!


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## Dennis (May 8, 2012)

From the contractor side I gotta say it is difficult on our end also.  There is a tremendous amount to learn , which BTW changes regularly, and is interpreted differently from one area to the next.  Consistency is virtually impossible even within the same inspection department.  Add three or four other areas and it becomes a game of what does the inspector want rather than what is the intent of the article being cited.

I generally don't have many issues with inspectors and IMO it is as much my job to educate the inspector as it is his to help us.  I belong to a chapter of the NC association of electrical contractors and we welcome inspector to come learn and discuss issues with us.  We have a few that come once a month to our meetings.  I know these guys want to better themselves also.

I guess a good inspector is one who is open to accepting they could be wrong and is willing to go the extra mile and discuss it.  On the other hand I don't expect an inspector to just accept the contractors interpretation either and I hope I am a strong enough contractor to admit I may be wrong.  We are never going to agree on everything even among our own trades.

I enjoy working within the scope of the code- trying to understand is a monumental chore.


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## cda (May 8, 2012)

Dennis,

Yes put four inspectors in a building and each one will have a different list

Hopefully they can back it up with code

I learn a great deal from the different subs

Depending on the inspector he may need to know five code books , where say the electrician only needs to know one

I am glad to listen and look at the book together and admit I read the code wrong


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## Dennis (May 8, 2012)

cda said:
			
		

> Dennis,Yes put four inspectors in a building and each one will have a different list.  Hopefully they can back it up with code


  I agree and the same is true for all the trades.  We have been on forums long enough to know there are many opinions and interpretations.





> I learn a great deal from the different subs


 and hopefully they learn from you also. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





> Depending on the inspector he may need to know five code books , where say the electrician only needs to know one


I don't know how an inspector can do justice to 5 trades and I respect them for doing as well as they do.





> I am glad to listen and look at the book together and admit I read the code wrong


 That IMO makes you a good inspector.
	

		
			
		

		
	

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## globe trekker (May 8, 2012)

Dennis,

Where did you get the additional cool emoticons? Me thinks that our emoticon pallete

may need some additions to it!  :grin:


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## Dennis (May 8, 2012)

globe trekker said:
			
		

> Dennis,Where did you get the additional cool emoticons? Me thinks that our emoticon palletemay need some additions to it!  :grin:


You can go crazy with them *here*
View attachment 1332
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## David Henderson (May 8, 2012)

This is what I got from my supervisor on my first day as an inspector; it is posted in my cubicle:

A good inspector knows construction, codes and people,

especially the latter.

The good inspector,

1. Recognizes human limitations, including his own; others know construction too.

2. May be wrong, but is not ashamed to admit it.

3. Is not to prideful to ask questions.

4. Tries to justify his decisions with reasons other than that's what the code say's.

5. Helps solves problems rather than condemning work, but does not attempt to change design.

6. Is certainly willing to concede minor points in order to produce general complaince.

7. Discusses problems with other inspectors and comes to a joint conclusions with all staff members.

8. Budgets his time.

9. Keeps adequate records.

10. Keeps appointments.

11. Does not make demands he doesn't intend to enforce.

The Bad Inspector,

1. Is argumentive and has a short temper.

2. Uses his authority with a heavy hand.

3. Does not reconize alternative construction techniques: he limits himself to a "to the letter" interpretation of the code.

4. Imposes personal prejudices rather then minimum standards.

5. Refuses to explain why.

6. Is vindictive and vengeful.

7. Is arbitrary and capricious.

8. Exceedshis limits of code enforcement responsibility: Costs, Noncode matters, Personal involvement.


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## steveray (May 8, 2012)

"Depending on the inspector he may need to know five code books , where say the electrician only needs to know one

I don't know how an inspector can do justice to 5 trades and I respect them for doing as well as they do."

Only 5...I wish....

IMC

IPC

NEC

IECC

IBC

IRC

CT amendments

ANSI 117

NFPA 13

NFPA 72......and whatever else I am forgetting.....


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## mmmarvel (May 12, 2012)

incognito said:
			
		

> I prefer to think a good inspector has the ability to educate contractors and do-it-yourselfers in a respectful manner so that he is not continually writing up the same old stuff.


Nice idea, but like most things in life there is a wonderful idea and there is reality.  IF (big if) you get a contractor who listens, reasons and learns, then you don't write up the same things over and over.  However, there are many contractors who do it one way and get the same corrections written time after time.  In some cases it almost seems like the contractor is hoping/waiting to get a different inspector under the belief that he won't be written up this time (no, it will probably be something else in ADDITION to the typical).  So like many instances in life, it's a crapshoot - life (and contractors) is/are like a box of chocolates, you rarely know what you're gonna get (although occasionally when you see who the contractor is, you can pre-fill out the correction form - sigh).


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## ICE (May 12, 2012)

mmmarvel said:
			
		

> (although occasionally when you see who the contractor is, you can pre-fill out the correction form - sigh).


I have had contractors call me the morning of the inspection wanting a time.

I have said "Let's try this, I'll give you a list of corrections over the phone and forget about showing up today."

I have said, "Give your crew the usual list and call for inspection when the corrections are done."

I have said, "Have you been to the site to make sure that the work is ready for inspection....It was just yesterday that 18 corrections were written?"

I have been told, "What do you mean 10:00 to 2:00?.....I asked for first out.....I can't have a crew waiting all day....."  "Well why is the crew waiting for me?"  "Because you need to explain the corrections from yesterday" "Well do I have to do everything around here?"  "Why can't you help out and explain the corrections to the crew?"  "I don't understand the corrections either."


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## cda (May 12, 2012)

ICE said:
			
		

> I have had contractors call me the morning of the inspection wanting a time.  I have said "Let's try this, I'll give you a list of corrections over the phone and forget about showing up today."
> 
> I have said, "Give your crew the usual list and call for inspection when the corrections are done."
> 
> ...


Hay I like that idea,  know a few people that qualify for express service


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## ICE (May 14, 2012)

There were two men on the roof.  I asked for a ladder and they pointed to the stepladder.  I told them that they were living dangerously because a short ladder can ruin your life....or maybe even end it.

One of the men decided to come down from the roof.  He laid down at the edge of the roof and it was a stretch to get a leg on top of the ladder.  I was incredulous and had to hold the damned ladder instead of getting pictures.


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## pwood (May 15, 2012)

did you tell them the top step was not a step?


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## mmmarvel (May 16, 2012)

Is it just the picture, or are the whirly birds tilted???


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## north star (May 16, 2012)

*$*

Tilted! ...catches the updraft better!  

*$*


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## David Henderson (May 16, 2012)

They must provide access, and that does'nt mean just open the door. No ladder no inspection, and the ladder better extend high enough for me to get off and on without it being dangerous.


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## ICE (May 21, 2012)

Sandman said:
			
		

> Residential Construction Economics 1011)	Middle class family in suburbia is outgrowing their small home and need an addition built. Lots of stress, anxiety, uncertainty along with excitement and anticipation involved in the decision. This is a very complex and sizable investment.
> 
> 2)	Applies for loan and provides pay stubs, tax returns, account statements, contractor’s license, estimate, schedule, plans, and proof of insurance.
> 
> ...


Two weeks later is today.  That poor mistreated contractor finally called for re-inspection.  If you can recall, the OSB had to be removed to inspect the framing of shear walls and install the electrical etc.  Wouldn't you know it, there's plenty of termite eaten wood.  Well he was able to install anchor bolts every 30" and six HDs.  He even hired a special inspector for the epoxy.  It's a shame he missed a few.  Should I assume he knows epoxy work by now and let him off the hook for another special inspector?
















This wall has a furnace and is furred on the other side.  When he removed the OSB there was that gap for the furnace vent.  So what does this genius do?  Straps of course.  Really big ones.  And not just one but a pair.  He got so excited about doing a good thing that he installed the straps before the OSB.  How about the stellar job of framing around that 50 year old wall furnace?  You wouldn't think that a short ladder could be so powerfull.






Check out the nail hole in the vent.






Five feet away he gets to do it again.


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