Building inspector protects residents, city

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Adam McFarlin recently took over as Newcastle’s building inspector. At the heart of his job is protecting the people and the city’s best interest, according to City Engineer Mike Moore. 
After leaving a coal mining job, McFarlin began looking for a job closer to home when he and his wife welcomed a new baby. 
“There was a real push to look here in Newcastle. I have some remodel experience, and I have decided to learn the code,” McFarlin said. “So far it has been interesting, and there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t wanted to come to work.”
According to Moore the ideal individual for the city inspector job is someone with a background in construction or at least some experience. 
“Trying to find that individual, it has been difficult. Adam has some construction background and a great aptitude for learning new information, and that is just as important,” Moore said. “It is difficult to find someone that has all that experience and bring them to Newcastle. I think someone like Adam, who is from Newcastle and wants to be here, has a family here, in conjunction with that aptitude
is perfect. I feel he has that
handled and can learn the information that he needs to understand and do the position.” 
A building inspector, Moore said, is needed because of building requirements and the city engineer’s responsibility for issuing construction permits for the community’s benefit. 
“The purpose of the position is to make sure that the citizens of Newcastle have construction that meets applicable code standards. More or less, we are making sure that they are getting adequately built structures,” Moore said. “It is the building inspector’s role to undertake that responsibility under the engineer’s direction.” 
The inspector’s job is to monitor both commercial and residential construction projects, Moore said, and various types of construction take place in Newcastle year-round. The building inspector is busiest during the warmer months, with projects ranging from roofing projects to remodels and new construction, he said. 
“We cover everything from little to big projects. Adam will monitor everything from small roofing projects to checking out big commercial projects,” Moore said. “Decker’s Market is the big one right now. We have to go up there from time to time and work with the subcontractors.”
The knowledge necessary to be a building inspector is extensive, Moore said, and the person has to become fluent in both residential and commercial codes. The building inspector will also check furnace installations and other small projects, he said. 
“We are here to head problems off. We’ve gotten requests from homeowners in the county to do building inspection, but unfortunately we don’t go outside city limits,” Moore said. “People recognize that inspections are beneficial. A lot can go into construction that the average homeowner doesn’t understand, and we are there to make sure the contractors are doing their jobs.”
According to Moore, local contractors are very knowledgeable about local building requirements and, for the most part, do the right thing, whether they agree with the codes or not.