In a message dated 12/30/98 5:33:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> The problem with some inspectors, is that they afraid that if they don't
>  villify even the sound asbestos - they may lose ...what.? credibility?..I'm
>  not sure.

I think the problem of this sloppiness tends more to the fact that people who
are commonly presumed to be authorities may have little real understanding of
the particular materials, regulations, public sentiment, or conditions that
they are dealing with, in other words, I think they are often ill informed on
the one subject they have suddenly been asked to be an authority upon (it
happens to me often enough to make me consistently paranoid) and rather than
admit it honestly, possibly giving up a bit of ego in the process and at risk
of losing money, they bluff their way through by process of paranoid
condemnation. Hurts to be human. Sounds like the house inspector is
presidential, only in a mundane manifestation that we might actually meet in
real life -- and in Twybil's friend's case of more immediate consequence in
holding up a property sale which I am sure leads to all sorts of quirky
ramifications. I've encountered this too stupid to admit ignorance effect when
presented with a set of bid documents for work that I consider does NOT need
to be done or that does not address the underlying problems of a structure.
The question then becomes 1) do we go ahead and bid on the work and do it, 2)
do we inform the design professional of our attitude and suffer their
irrational wrath of professionalism, or 3) do we bid very high in hopes of
looking stupidly responsive and pray that we really are too high or 4) walk
away? I'm never quite sure how to answer these questions and consider that a
lot of the outcome depends on the strength, or complete lack, of working
relationships.

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