The answer to this is really quite simple. And if you were being less "homeowner subjective" and more "logically objective", you would see it. But you are vying for your own interest and agenda. And few of us can be truly objective in that position.
To begin with, as I have mentioned, it's highly doubtful that Simpson post base is going to work. And, I'm fairly certain your inspector realizes that. But he isn't paid to get into all the legal hassles about those sorts of decisions. I suspect that you are being placated with polite conversation while left to get your own arse covered legally by having an engineer take the onus of responsibility off the building department.
Common sense has to prevail here. If there is no speed limit posted at a severe curve, would you take that to mean you are free to take that curve at any speed you felt you could push your car? I certainly hope not. And if you slid off into oncoming traffic through a careless and reckless decision to do whatever you felt you could get away with, be assured that you would quickly learn that someone is going to be tasked with taking the responsibility in such an undeclared and unmarked moving violation.
Same thing in construction. Too many variables exist in literally thousands of unforeseen situations and circumstances for that one man standing in front of you, the inspector, to invent rules and make engineering decisions on the spot as to what is safe in this particular incidence, and what is not. And they are certainly NOT going to let every single homeowner make their own arbitrary decisions.
Thus, in cases where such decisions and declarations of rule may be beyond an inspector's realm of expertise, they, the building department officials, have wisely decreed that someone who DOES possess those qualifications make the pertinent decisions. That is, hopefully, an engineer.
To begin with, as I have mentioned, it's highly doubtful that Simpson post base is going to work. And, I'm fairly certain your inspector realizes that. But he isn't paid to get into all the legal hassles about those sorts of decisions. I suspect that you are being placated with polite conversation while left to get your own arse covered legally by having an engineer take the onus of responsibility off the building department.
Common sense has to prevail here. If there is no speed limit posted at a severe curve, would you take that to mean you are free to take that curve at any speed you felt you could push your car? I certainly hope not. And if you slid off into oncoming traffic through a careless and reckless decision to do whatever you felt you could get away with, be assured that you would quickly learn that someone is going to be tasked with taking the responsibility in such an undeclared and unmarked moving violation.
Same thing in construction. Too many variables exist in literally thousands of unforeseen situations and circumstances for that one man standing in front of you, the inspector, to invent rules and make engineering decisions on the spot as to what is safe in this particular incidence, and what is not. And they are certainly NOT going to let every single homeowner make their own arbitrary decisions.
Thus, in cases where such decisions and declarations of rule may be beyond an inspector's realm of expertise, they, the building department officials, have wisely decreed that someone who DOES possess those qualifications make the pertinent decisions. That is, hopefully, an engineer.
