by Ken Jones

My wife and I recently decided to add solar power to our home. We’ve lived in our house about eleven years now, and we thought solar power would be a wise investment. Our solar contractor is a personal friend, and after we settled on the location of our panels and an approximate installation start date, my friend said he would ‘get the ball rolling’ down at the county planning office, applying for a solar permit.

That seems innocuous enough, doesn’t it? Except … except that when our contractor applied for our solar permit, he was informed by the county planners that our home — the house we have been living in for eleven years — never received a final inspection by the county. In fact, what we learned was that NO inspections were done on our home when it was built, after the subfloor had been completed. No electrical inspections. No framing inspection. No plumbing, or mechanical, or roof inspections. In essence, our home was ‘illegal,’ because the contractor who built it never called for inspections.

We were forced to endure — and I mean endure — an incredibly difficult process of meeting the standards outlined in a document the county called an ‘As-built Checklist Form.’ We had to have a licensed contractor VERIFY the electrical work, the plumbing, the windows, the doors, the roof — every aspect of the home we’ve been living in for the past eleven years. Got any idea what it takes to ‘verify’ the ‘truss configuration/build up truss/jack truss’ and verify the size and spacing of the rafters/collar ties/ ridge rafter/or ridge beam AFTER your house is already built? Can you spell nightmare?

We finally survived the arduous struggle, met the standards of the county, and completed our “As-built Checklist.” Last week, our solar panels were installed.

But how much easier would it have been?

How much easier to have ‘inspected’ things as the house was being built? Before walls covered up pipes and wiring. Before plywood covered up rafters. Before life as usual had been established?

Ever feel as if you’re living your life in an ‘as-built’ mode; that it’s too late to change. If it’s been awhile since you ‘inspected’ how you’re doing at managing the stress and stressors of your life, coaching is a great way to get that process started. Results oriented. Certainly no hassles. Actually, it can be incredibly rewarding and fun. If you’re interested in ‘setting your house in order,’ and discovering some exciting new ways to generate power and fulfillment in your life, we’re here and ready to help.

And … (thank God,) no permit necessary.