# How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?



## Uncle Bob (Jan 24, 2010)

Does anyone know any links to find out how many municipalities contract out their Building Inspections Department to 3rd Party Inspection companies?

How many here; work for or own a 3rd Party Inspection company that contracts Building Inspections from a municipality?

Does the municipality or the contractor write the contract?

Uncle Bob


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## packsaddle (Jan 24, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

I do.


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## texas transplant (Jan 24, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

When I got to this city about one year ago they were using two outside contract inspection and plan review services.

UB,

Probably the easiest way to track cities that use outside services is to go to the websites of the third party folks.

Bureau Veritas, Safe Build etc.   Of course there are alot of smaller outfits out there too.

We had the contractor provide the contract for the City Attorney to review.


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## mmmarvel (Jan 25, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

I can only speak for my time in Oregon.  There were at least 3 firms which were private firms that I dealt with (I was in special inspection at the time).  Many times several smaller communities would bind together and present a contract to a third party to have them handle the inspections in all the communities.  I had an instructor who had cobbled together 4 small towns on the coast and 'agreed' to the BO for all four, there wasn't a lot of building going on in any one town, so each town was only paying him as pretty much a part time basis.

As for the contracts, it's like all contracts.  The third party would submit a contract, the city would send it to thier attorney, there would be some negotiations and eventually it would be signed.  I know our friend Terre worked for one of the third party outfits for a while; he did not walk away with fond memories.


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## mmmarvel (Jan 25, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

Okay, that was weird - I typed in attorney and when it posted it said 'devil in a tie' - I'll put my hand on a stack of bibles that I did not type that phrase.


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## Mule (Jan 25, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

It's the Atttorny word!  :twisted:


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## fatboy (Jan 25, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

Jeff was playing with some word related software......so now when you try to type in @ttorney, it subs in devil in a tie.

 :lol: Kinda funny..........


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## Rick18071 (Jan 28, 2010)

Re: How many cities have 3rd Party Inspection Departments?

Don't know how many municipalities in PA use 3rd party. My guess would be most. Here's a list of 3rd parties in PA at;

 wwwdli.state.pa.us

click uniform construction code

click Certified third party agencies


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