Day 280 October 14, 2002

Today the building inspector is due back to check my stairs. He greets me with "I've got some news you're not going to like". Uh oh. Remain calm. He tells me that he can't pass me because of the hearth. What? He hands me a page with a picture of a wood stove and the various dimensions for clearances to combustibles, hearth size, floor protections etc. His shows floor protection 18" from the side of the stove on both sides. The guidelines I followed as per national code straight from the stove manufacturer show 6" is all that's needed on the side with 18" in front, which is exactly how I built it. I explain this and tell him how the last inspector Ok'd my hearth back in January. He tells me that that person has taken a supervisory position in another town and he suggested I call the head supervisor on Wednesday to see it he could pass me. I remained calm (surprise!) and agree. The inspector is new and he is just covering is own butt. I would do the same if I was him. But please, 18" on each side plus the 24" stove would make the hearth five feet wide! The good news is he approves the railings.

I spent the remainder of the day dragging the driveway, installing shoe molding around the perimeter of the wood floor and filling nail holes.

10 hours.