This low-cost, over-the-counter screw pile is not suited for use on attached decks, platforms or stairs. (Contractor-supplied, Code-compliant piles are, however, suitable.) We have run into a few issues of late with homeowners and contractors using an over-the-counter screw pile available over-the-counter from hardware stores.…

“I didn’t know I needed a permit: I don’t live in town.” Our development officers and building inspectors hear this line a lot, even though permits have been required throughout the province since 2002.Here’s the 411 on permits in our area. First off, our team…

Concrete forms rest atop footings in this new build. Our inspectors check footing width as part of every plans review we do. They’re usually hidden, done quickly in those early and heady days of new construction, but the footings upon which your new home rests…

This week’s post is an interesting tip about levels. Did you know that not all levels are, in fact, level? In more than a few cases, the glass (plastic) arcs that hold the bubble are, in many cases, microscopically twisted.Before buying a level, here’s how…