Greetings BOAT family and friends. It’s been a busy and productive year for BOAT. Our February Houston BPI, May North Texas BPI, and annual BOAT Conference in August were all successes. Also, our first West Texas BPI was recently held in Lubbock October 1-2 and had a great start. In fact, we’ve already chosen September … Read more
Are certified building officials (CBOs) on the verge of extinction? Let’s remind ourselves of their purpose and importance; explore some contributing factors to this slowly diminishing profession; and lastly, identify ways we can reverse the trend and protect this endangered species. So that we are all on the same page, let’s first define: Extinction: Is … Read more
Building code official professionals are undoubtedly the unsung heroes of the construction industry. Upon observation of a construction site, the skilled work of carpenters, metalworkers, heavy equipment operators, masons, electricians, plumbers, and countless other tradespersons is easily seen as they operate in concert to assemble a new structure or modify an existing one. Although it … Read more
Our BOAT Annual Conference, held this past August in San Antonio, had a class called Building Official 101. It was based on the Building Department Administration Handbook, chapters 6, 9, 10, and 11. This is a great reference material on all things related to managing a building department and being an informed building official with … Read more
In 1624, John Donne wrote a poem entitled, “No Man is an Island.” No matter how sophisticated and advanced we believe that we have become in the last 400 years, this idea still holds true. The same thing applies to what we do every day as first preventers. We interact with so many others: from … Read more
The difference between being a code official in a small city versus a large city is the duties assigned. I have worked in a one-person department, where I performed all duties required to run a building department including being the assistant to the zoning administrator, code enforcement officer, an asbestos abatement supervisor, backflow preventer tester, … Read more
As most of you know, being a building official and running a building department has its challenges. Sometimes it can be like trying to take a sip of water from a fire hydrant. You need to be at several places, all at the same time. You have to know everything about everything, all off the … Read more
We’re seeing trends with new project tracking software hitting the market that promise to facilitate faster, more efficient, and cost-saving measures throughout the inspection process. In reality, replacing traditional inspection methods with new software can cause more confusion than efficiency. Unfortunately, several of the software packages being offered for project tracking make it difficult for … Read more
Think cool and get ready for cooler days ahead: Fireplaces! Hot Topics! These safety tips will help to protect you and your family in and around your house. Fireplaces are consistently rated as one of the top amenities desired by home owners. In fact, fireplaces have one of the highest investment returns of any … Read more