Ordinances drive up contractors' costs

As a third-generation concrete contractor with nearly four decades of experience, I now find that giving a neighbor or friend a quality job at simple cost is impossible. Because of the maze of municipal ordinances that must be navigated, it costs me an excessive amount of time and money to do a favor. These are ridiculously overconceived specifications that for “around the house flatwork, such as driveways, walks and patios, are unnecessary and a waste of natural resources.

Let's understand, people, we're talking driveways and patios not runways or high-rises. Yet over the years I've witnessed almost a “competition over how complicated these municipal ordinances can be. Heck, I came from an era where you bid a job, got a down payment, and by day's end the people had their driveway, most of which are still in existence. Did anyone conclude what might be the consequences of such overthought engineering?

One consequence, which is happening everywhere, is a concrete underground. These are unqualified hacks who lure people with low prices and persuade homeowners not to get a permit because they know they can't live up to the requirements. The results is that whoever comes in next to repair the damage is punished with costly specifications, along with the homeowner who has now paid twice.

I'm all for inspecting to ensure we all get quality repairs, no matter the contractor, but this “red-light camera approach to inspecting has become a source of revenue for towns, and they are taking full advantage of it. Most charge a fee to inspect on top of the permit. Then they fail you so they can charge additionally each and every time they come out.

This system must be amended. Don't create a problem just to create a new source of revenue.

Matt Schroeder

Buffalo Grove