Central Texas Chapter and PHTA National Find Solution to Third-Party Inspections
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Earlier this year, the City of Austin, Texas, adopted the 2018 International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC). Part of this adoption changed Austin’s inspection platform and meant that pool builders would now be responsible for finding a third party to complete certain inspections. This put an added burden on builders, and many were considering not taking jobs in Austin anymore.
“If the Central Texas Chapter had not stepped in, there would have been a work stoppage,” says Addam Barrow, President of the Central Texas PHTA Chapter (CTPHTA) and Regional Sales Manager for Blue Square Manufacturing.
Chapter members contacted engineers, architects, and Certified Builder Professionals (CBPs) to see if anyone could or would complete the third-party inspections. Barrow and CTPHTA Board members worked with Jason Davidson, PHTA Director of Government Relations, to get inspectors deputized by the City of Austin but were met with roadblocks.
In August, Davidson attended the Building Officials Association of Texas (BOAT) Annual Conference and met representatives from a Florida-based company called Inspected. Inspected is a third-party inspection company that can conduct virtual inspections via smartphone. Davidson explained the need for third-party inspections in Austin and set up a meeting between Inspected and CTPHTA.
One of the benefits of Inspected is that it saves builders time, explains Barrow. They can call Inspected while on site, show the different points of inspection using the camera on their smartphone, and get immediate feedback. If any fixes need to be made based on the first inspection, the builder can do that work and be re-inspected in the same day. With in-person inspections, a second inspection can take days to schedule.
Inspected attended a CTPHTA meeting via a virtual call at the end of September to explain how they work and what they can do for Austin builders. The City of Austin has already said Inspected meets the needs of their third-party inspection requirements, and Inspected has since onboarded their first virtual customer.
“If we didn’t present this solution to the city, Austin would not have another permit being issued,” says Barrow. “This is a perfect example of how PHTA chapters bring value to the builders in their area,” and how support from PHTA staff can lead to more opportunities and resolutions.
At this point, it is now up to builders to apply for permits and contact Inspected, who will then work with the city. CTPHTA is hopeful about this solution and looks forward to continuing to be able to work in Austin.
