OT: Know any structural engineers in So. Cal?

Ok, made a mistake above. I meant frame/ADOBE construction. I guess it is considered non-reinforced masonry, so it is supposed to be a possible seismic hazard...

Sounds to me that it's time that he contacts a lawyer. If they have issued the permit and signed off on the inspection how can the rescind now? Unless it's a school, hospital or something like that.

Nope, just his farmhouse. Didn't make sense to me, either, unless they literally have a list of all adobe structures that they can require retrofit on...

Charlie

• Ask the county permits department for a list of structural engineers. This may or may not help, depending on the county. It can't hurt to ask.

• Call architectural firms. They often work with structural engineers, and would either be able to get the paperwork done, or may be willing to give out a phone number.

• Ditto building contractors.

• Check Angie's list. If they list structural engineers at all, they'll list someone who'll answer the phone.

If the structural engineers are all used to dealing with professionals (like contractors and architects), then they may not be thrilled to talk to an 'amateur' -- although you'd think this would be a pretty straightforward task.

And I have to agree with Joerg on this -- getting a lawyer on this isn't a bad idea. This is also the kind of things that congresscritters and state representatives just love to address: if there's some bureaucrat out there who's overreaching himself, they'll be happy to come riding in on a white horse and inspire some votes -- uh, I mean, make things better.

If it isn't rented out or contains an apartment I'd seriously talk with a lawyer first. Often bureaucrats tend to overstep their authority. Last time this happened I didn't even need a lawyer. Dug out the code on the web, sent a two-pager in strong legalese (because they had done so as well), and that made them very, very friendly.

Earthquake felt here today on Long Island... one of those holy shit moments ;-) ...Jim Thompson

... and sure enough, real New Yorkers make a business out of just about anything. Even earthquakes:

Looks like a good ida to me... I just broke out a bottle of Coppola Claret ;-) ...Jim Thompson

Room service?

It felt like a few centimeters of movement here, 10 miles closer to epicenter.

Here ?:-) I stopped at a wine shop on my way.

It was significant enough here that I thought the commuter train that goes by a hundred feet away had derailed :-) ...Jim Thompson

Oh, I thought you'd be in a 5-star suite. It's a hell of a long stay to be couped in a regular hotel. I hope you got to amuse yourself with a cooking class at that local restaurant.

My first thought was a freight train, which also use the LIRR track, but after a few seconds it was stronger than that ever was.

Just to let ya'll know how this turned out. My friend finally got to speak with someone at the county. When he told him it was his personal residence, they told him that these code sections didn't apply to him, only commercial buildings. It may be that, back in the depths of time, it was the 'mercantile' for the area, so they may have put it in the rolls as a commercial building then. The county is going to update its records as to its present status as a residence, so he gets to keep his house without retrofittiing it!

Charlie

I only 5-star when the wife is with me. Alone, I'm a 5-star bum ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I wonder if he is being taxed as a commercial property?

tm