Friday, December 18, 2009

Permits

Today I had to pull a permit to move a meter for an entrance sign. The meter supplies 3 circuits, 2 for lights that shine up on the sign, and one for a convenience outlet. In order to accomplish this I first had to find out if the job fell in jurisdiction of Cobb County, or the City of Marietta (It was Cobb County).

Then I arrive at the Cobby County permit office, and have to wait until they're ready for me (which they make it seem like I'm hassling them of course). They then need my business licence, electrical license and a form filled out with the job information. After I hand the nice lady (she was actually pretty nice) all the info she tells me I need a 10,000 code compliance bond (which costs me $50) which I need to purchase at a insurance company. I have to climb back into my truck and head over to the nearest insurance company which happened to be State Farm.

I head into the office and inform the lady there that I need the compliance bond and she nods her head, and with a smirk asks me to sit down. She ask if this is for a big job (it was if she was used to guys like me coming in for little projects), which I reply no. She chuckles, and we talk about how stupid (basically) it is to have to do this for such a little job. She quickly fills out the paperwork and off I go back to the permit office. I wait in line again, and then get the same lady I saw first . She inputs most of the info, and then tells me I need to get the o.k. from some guy across the room since this is technically a commercial job (the sign is for a nursing home).

So, off I go to desk across the room, and find that no one is around. I ring the bell (as the sign requests) and wait a few minutes, until a nice man (everyone I dealt with was basically kind, just slow), asks me what I need. I tell him, and he walks off with my paper into a cubicle. He comes back with his initials on my paper, and I head back to the original permit lady.

The lady takes the paper, and asks for $30. After she takes my money (rather the customers money), she hands me the receipt and I'm finally finished with probably one of the easier experiences with getting permits.

So now you know why contractors don't like dealing with the government.

1 comment:

  1. You doing ok for the holidays? Don't work every minute, you need a break now and then.

    ReplyDelete