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City of Houston - permitting, gas lines, plumbing help

7,230 Views | 7 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno
94chem
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Centerpoint pulled my gas meter on 9/13/17 due to Harvey. We moved back in this past week. I submitted a request to restore gas service, and they sent an email saying that because it has been more than 365 days, a licensed plumber has to pull a city permit, inspect the lines (pressure test, etc.), a city inspector has to come out, and a new request has to be submitted to Centerpoint.

The first quote I got from a plumber was for $1000+. I can probably do it for less if I call around enough, but right now I don't have hot water for 7 people. Then, who knows what the city inspector will find. They literally salivate at the thought of nailing older homes. Last time they visited, they said my pipes were too narrow. $1700 later I was good to go!

If I had moved back in after 364 days, they would have apparently turned the gas back on for free. Ridiculous.

Anybody know whom I could speak with at CoH? I just want to make sure I'm doing this right, and that I correctly understand the situation. Thank you!
MouthBQ98
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AG
Welcome to the extortive hell that is municipal permitting. Repeat after me: you'd screw it up, so we need some guy with a GED and a license to do it, and we need your permit fee to help make out budg...er...ensure public safety.
evestor1
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First - sucks!

Second - hire a licensed plumber and get it done right the first time.

Third - if you hire someone that cannot figure it out...drive to the COH off of West Lake Houston and beg them to speak with you. Eventually you'll be sent to washington st in town, but its worth a shot.

Fourth - the combo of centerpoint and COH is one of the most debiliating duos ever created. Installing a new line rather than a retrofit is beyond infuriating.
evestor1
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and you likely want to speak with utility release b/c their entire job is to get your utilities turned on rather than some engineer that doesnt care about you.
94chem
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evestor1 said:

and you likely want to speak with utility release b/c their entire job is to get your utilities turned on rather than some engineer that doesnt care about you.
Thank you. I spoke with the Utility release and got transferred to plumbing. They informed me - in case any other Harvey people are watching - that a permit must be pulled under the existing project. However, an additional temporary permit must also be pulled, called a PG. If this second permit isn't bought, Centerpoint won't turn on the gas until the entire final inspection on the home is completed. This could be weeks from now, since my GC is still working on various non-critical odds & ends.

Meanwhile, I got a phone call from Centerpoint. This guy's name is Mike Maxwell. He told me that when Centerpoint is restoring service such as this, they conduct a pressure test anyway, and they are now working with CoH "governmental affairs" to see what can be done.

The bottom line is that for homes where there was no work done on the gas lines, Centerpoint automatically provides the safety/pressure checks needed to restore service, and the CoH bureaucracy isn't needed, especially the city inspector crawling through thousands of homes and inventing expensive "violations."

One other detail - even though the Centerpoint email said 365 days, the CoH says it's actually 6 months. I asked CoH rep whose regulation that was, and she said it came from Centerpoint. When I asked Centerpoint, the guy told me that the regulation is set by the city, and that in their 7 state area, they have multiple codes that they have to follow. So it probably is 365 days...somewhere.

Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno
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AG


Seriously though we were rebuilding and trim and cabinets started in January during the cold snap so I just called to get the lock taken off and service restored. Then in June or July they came and changed the meter out for free.

They need to replace the meter anyways post Harvey, not sure why it would be your reaponsibility for pressure testing that since it's their equipment.

94chem
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Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno said:



Seriously though we were rebuilding and trim and cabinets started in January during the cold snap so I just called to get the lock taken off and service restored. Then in June or July they came and changed the meter out for free.

They need to replace the meter anyways post Harvey, not sure why it would be your reaponsibility for pressure testing that since it's their equipment.


Yep - when it was 20 degrees, you would've wanted heat in the house. Our cabinets were built off-site, so nobody complained about the house being 35 degrees. Plus, the real work at the house didn't start March/April anyway.
AlaskanAg99
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AG
Did anyone else get the notice for gas line insurance through Centerpoint? Here's an extra fee.
aTm '99
Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno
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AG
That's not mandatory
Basically they are selling insurance for something that should ever happen through the life of your home
They are responsible for everything up to the meter. It's not a scam but basically worthless
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