Have you ever worked with someone who tried to skate by without following all of the rules? Would you ignore the potential problems they created, or would you make sure the people in charge knew exactly what was going on?

In today’s story, an electrical contractor had to deal with an irrigation crew who missed a huge step before starting their job. Instead of ignoring the issue, he took the first opportunity possible to get revenge.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

I told you so

Some years ago, I was an electrical contractor working in a fairly large city in the South.

We were nearing completion on a large truck parts facility.

It was Friday afternoon when the out of town irrigation/sprinkler crew arrived on the jobsite.

It sounds like there’s a problem!

Of course we had stubbed out pipe for his irrigation timer and controls. While I was showing him where this was located, I asked him if he had gotten his low voltage electrical permit yet.

He said “We don’t get permits. That’s your job.”

I assured him that he would indeed need to get a permit, as this city was a real stickler for such things.

His crew worked through the weekend planting small trees, shrubs and laying sod as well as installing a complete irrigation system.

He had the perfect opportunity to get revenge.

Monday morning I had a scheduled inspection for some underground conduit for a sign out by the street.

My electrical inspector asked who installed the landscaping and irrigation.

I immediately threw this guy under the bus and told him what that contractor had said about not getting permits.

He went nuclear.

Here’s the downfall.

Not only did he double fee the business licenses and permits, he put a stop work order on the entire project until all licenses, permits and fines were paid.

The next day it was bittersweet to watch this jerk have to dig up the entire system so it could be properly inspected. (By electrical and plumbing inspectors)

He should have listened the first time.

The lesson here is to always get a permit, and someone who does construction for a living should know better!

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This is a dangerous game.

Here’s another story about an inspector.

There are two rules of construction.

This person thinks this story sounds VERY familiar.

Always get a permit!

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.