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Ontario / ESA Inspections - how to?

8K views 10 replies 3 participants last post by  globus999 
#1 ·
OK, I am completely FED UP with ESA. Their website is garbage. They are really big on forms and fees and ZILCH on helping a home owner to go through an inspection. This is a disgrace!
They don't have a step-by-step process, flowchart, graph, pamphlet, podast, movie, webpage, etc. describing the inspection process. You name it, they don't have it. Must be *nice* to have a government-imposed monopoly! Service my ASS!

Any how, that's my rant.

On to the practical question. Can somebody please describe the standard steps for an inspection? I am finishing my basement and need to know what to do when.
So far, what I have managed to piece together from other sites goes more or less like this:

1 - One starts working and have 48 hrs to request an inspection.
2 - Inspections are requested by filling the ESA forms (which ones? there are like 30 or so)????
3 - or does one call? and then what?
4 - Anyhow, then, assuming the correct forms are filled-in they are faxed to the ESA.
5 - Where they do what? Assign an inspector?
6 - And then what? Does the inspector provides more info as to what needs to be inspected (i.e. the schedule of inspections like any semi-competent municipality) or is a guessing game?
7 - What happens if one has a question? Does one talk to the inspector directly? e-mail? smoke signals? telepathy? And yes, I know there supposedly is some mystical e-mail where you can ask questions to them which is located in the FAQ page, page, which does not exist!
Freaking nice!!!

Anyhooo guidance would be very much appreciated indeed!
 
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#2 ·
OK, I am completely FED UP with ESA. Their website is garbage. They are really big on forms and fees and ZILCH on helping a home owner to go through an inspection. This is a disgrace!
They don't have a step-by-step process, flowchart, graph, pamphlet, podast, movie, webpage, etc. describing the inspection process. You name it, they don't have it. Must be *nice* to have a government-imposed monopoly! Service my ASS!

Any how, that's my rant.

On to the practical question. Can somebody please describe the standard steps for an inspection? I am finishing my basement and need to know what to do when.
So far, what I have managed to piece together from other sites goes more or less like this:

1 - One starts working and have 48 hrs to request an inspection.
2 - Inspections are requested by filling the ESA forms (which ones? there are like 30 or so)????
3 - or does one call? and then what?
4 - Anyhow, then, assuming the correct forms are filled-in they are faxed to the ESA.
5 - Where they do what? Assign an inspector?
6 - And then what? Does the inspector provides more info as to what needs to be inspected (i.e. the schedule of inspections like any semi-competent municipality) or is a guessing game?
7 - What happens if one has a question? Does one talk to the inspector directly? e-mail? smoke signals? telepathy? And yes, I know there supposedly is some mystical e-mail where you can ask questions to them which is located in the FAQ page, page, which does not exist!
Freaking nice!!!

Anyhooo guidance would be very much appreciated indeed!

first off let me answer your rant by saying that the reason they've made it tough to pull a permit(must be homeowner or masters license/contractor license) is because too many "handymen" without the necessary knowledge were burning houses down.

there is infact a step by step process. You would first call them and ask them what you need to do to get your permit. Get your permit and do the work. call again for an inspection....yes there is a fee but there's a fee all over the place just not in ontario. They may want to see a rough in inspection as well as a final.
1-877-esa-safe is the general inquiries line or if you hit the contact us link at the top of the page it takes you directly to an email form which they are quite prompt about returning as i've never waited more than 24hours.

good luck :)
 
#5 ·
Tx! for your reply. I think I did figure out that much, but what really irks me is not the fees, but the lousy website which is full of crap and not a single useful piece of information for a homeowner that needs to do electrical. Also, I don't have any problems with though inspections, actually, I welcome them! If there is something I don't like fooling around is electrical. However, they are doing exactly *bupkus* to improve this process. For example, do I need to submit something? A form? does it need to include a design? If so what quality? Does it need to be to scale? Use standarize electrical symbols? To whom? If there are going to be two inspections and one is a "rough-in", what is the meaning of "rough-in"???? Up to which point do I connect the wiring? Fixtures? Do I power-up the new wires? Etc. I mean, it is just plain stupid NOT to have at least a simple brochure explaining the verbiage!!! Any lousy municipality or town, no matter how small will at least tell you that much. But NOOOOOOO... not the ESA! Lousy B*stards!.
 
#4 ·
orderline.com carries all their books...cheapest prices i've found. The handbook that they have at home depot is a must have for diyers as well.
 
#6 ·
150 Bucks for the Electrical Code!!!!
They have been smoking their own wire sheathing!
Besides, I don't need everything under the sun, I just need the basics for a basement. Somehow I suspect most homeowners and DIY's have the same needs.
This is simply ludicrous!
 
#8 ·
it's just a yellow covered hadnbook...about 100 pages of easily readable directions...i'm pretty sure it even outlines the inspection process. The best money you'll ever spend. The new one is out now on shelves. it's called "electrical code simplified"
 
#10 ·
lol i should write them and ask for a commission :laughing:
 
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