Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Contractors tell Lampasas council inconsistent inspections cost time and money
Loading...
Summary
Local contractors told the Lampasas City Council that inspections performed under the city's contract with Bureau Veritas have been inconsistent, forcing some builders to hire alternate inspectors at their own expense and asking the council to consider adding or assigning another building official.
Contractors appearing during the public-comment portion of the Lampasas City Council meeting said inspections under the city's third‑party contract have been inconsistent and costly.
A contractor who identified himself in the hearing as Mike Scott of Mike Scott Construction told the council that his crew paid for inspections up front and scheduled a required weld inspection only to be told Bureau Veritas was not qualified to perform it. "They made us go out, hire another company to come in and do that inspection at the cost of $400 to us when we had already paid for our inspection," he said. He also said inspectors sometimes give different directions on successive site visits, creating rework and delays.
Mike Urban, another local contractor, described similar problems with late or missed inspections and inspectors who declined to accommodate weather-sensitive work. "Once you build a relationship with somebody ... that's what we are here in Lampasas. We're a small town," Urban said, and asked the council to consider hiring another building official or inspector to improve responsiveness and consistency.
Neither speaker offered a formal remedy beyond asking the council to intervene. Council members and staff did not make an immediate decision during the public-comment period but the comments were taken under advisement. Staff later indicated they could research options, and contractors urged the city to ensure third-party contractors provide qualified, consistent inspection services.
The contractors’ remarks point to operational issues with the city’s inspection program that developers and builders say are slowing projects and adding out‑of‑pocket costs. City staff did not provide a timetable in the meeting for further action; contractors asked the council to consider options including reassigning duties or adding local inspection capacity.
