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Contract inspector explains rising permit costs and new remote-inspection software
Summary
A contracted inspector explained to the council why flat permit fees will rise: costs for insurance, workers' comp and labor have increased and small permits can cost more to process than current fees recover. He described a new remote-inspection platform, FusePe, that records location, photos and video to reduce repeat site visits and could lower fees if contractors participate.
Mark, representing Inspectron, briefed the council on building permit activity, the calculation behind proposed increases in flat permit fees, and a new remote-inspection tool intended to reduce repeat trips and lower costs.
Mark said inspection overheads have grown — insurance and workers' compensation premiums have risen, and paying certified inspectors competitive wages increases per-inspection costs. He gave a specific example: for a $100 roofing permit the city collects about $75 in fees while an inspection could cost roughly $77 to perform under current overheads, meaning the smallest permits do not fully cover inspection costs. That discrepancy is why Inspectron is proposing adjustments to flat rates.
To address costs, Inspectron demonstrated a new inspection platform called FusePe that allows an inspector to view a contractor's phone, verify location via GPS, take time-stamped photos and record video of the inspection. The platform, he said, can reduce repeated site visits and provide objective records (photos/video) to resolve later disputes. Inspectron intends to deploy the software and said contractor participation and volume would allow some fee reductions (Mark said a higher contractor participation rate could bring inspection prices down from the higher flat rates).
Council members asked about state plumbing review delays, whether local firms could be used for a Jet A truck procurement (in the airport discussion) and about how the city might enforce or verify remote inspections; Mark described practical safeguards the software provides (GPS, photos, time stamps).
What's next: Staff and the contracted inspector will continue to refine fee recommendations and deployment plans for FusePe, and will return to council with proposed fee schedules and a plan to engage local contractors in the remote-inspection process.
