I just happened to be driving past the Cranston, RI city hall today at about noon, and was surprised to see an older gentleman walking the sidewalk with a picket sign. What surprised me even more was what the sign read: “Corrupt Cranston Building Official Boycotting Redifooting”.
I’ve visited the Redifooting web site before, and know that they have some engineering results posted there. I’m actually considering using their product for a catwalk around my above-ground pool.
In any event, this is a first for me. I assume that the gentlemen is somehow associated with the company, and feels that he is being discriminated against by the building official. I just wish that I had my digital camera in the truck. I’ll be working in the area for the next couple of days, and I’ll definitely have my camera with me should I see him again.
Bob
Replies
I don't know anything about it but do an advanced search. I did and there are at least a few threads.
I don't know much about this but I'll tell you what I do know.
Six months ago I had a use for a few of the redifootings and my local yard didn't know anything about them. I called the "company" and got a woman on her cell phone with her baby crying in the background.
She told me her father or grandfather invented the things, spent a ton of money getting the engineering accepted, and then getting them manufactured. Now he's in poor health, and she is basically trying to keep the business afloat. So I wouldn't be surprised if it was him doing the picketting, because if I remember the company was in Rhode Island.
By the way, I ordered a few and they worked great. Especially nice because you don't have to wait for concrete to set up in a sonotube, and can get to building whatever it is you're building. I'd use them again and hope others do, if for no other reason than, if they don't make it, I'm sure the company will fold and we won't have them as a choice.
(Oh, and I shouldn't say this here but from my experience, Rhode Island is a very "connected" state and I wouldn't put it past anybody, be it a building official or the owner of a small company, to attempt to sweeten his deal by greasing someones palm. Call me skeptical.)
Edited 11/1/2006 6:08 pm ET by fingers
(Oh, and I shouldn't say this here but from my experience, Rhode Island is a very "connected" state and I wouldn't put it past anybody, be it a building official or the owner of a small company, to attempt to sweeten his deal by greasing someones palm. Call me skeptical.)
And often in situations where those kind of things go on, if there is no "grease" added to the situation, things never move forward, get done, get approved, or whatever...
my experience in Cranston is .. if you walk in off the street.. you will have engineering stamps no matter what
they even wanted me to have engineering for a one floor supporting roof structure
i wanted to replace a 3' x 5' window.. and i referenced the state wide building code span tables
"nope.. you replace a window header, we want to see the engineering stamp"
so it doesn't surprise me that Redifooting would run into a brick wall in Cranston..
it'll be a pretty long down-turn in the economy before i do any work there.. apparently we have two building codes.. RI & Cranston
what the heck... Jimmy Taft... Ed DiPrete... what else is new, nu ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore