Fort Myers Beach Building Official Joe Specht has confirmed to Beach Talk Radio News that local builder Joe Orlandini is no longer permitted to use 3rd party inspectors on any construction he may be doing on Fort Myers Beach.
You may recall our story about Town Council candidate Greg Scasny getting ensnared in a situation with his new home build on Andre Mar. Orlandini is the builder (operating under General Contractor Steve Sutter) who said he was using Steve Brockman of Naples as the private inspector. Brockman denied ever being called to inspect the Scasny house (Scasny confirmed that he wrote a check to Brockman directly which was cashed).
Here’s Specht’s official revocation notice to Orlandini: ” Please be advised that your privilege to use Private Provider services in the Town of Fort Myers Beach is revoked due to habitual abuse of it’s system and requirements, beginning immediately. All required inspections must be performed by Fort Myers Beach Inspectors only, beginning immediately. Any construction by Orlandini Development LLC and/or Sutter Builders in Fort Myers Beach found without inspections by Fort Myers Beach Inspectors only, will be deemed unsafe per the Fort Myers Beach Unsafe Building Abatement Code.”
General contractor’s are permitted by the state of Florida to use 3rd party inspectors. The reason, they might say, is to speed up the process. However, if used improperly it can certainly slow a homeowner down. Specht is the final arbiter of all things being built on Fort Myers Beach and has the ability to revoke this privilege.
Earlier this month Specht posted a notice to vacate and demolition notice in front of the Scasny home after the town received word from Orlandini’s 3rd party inspector Steve Brockman that he never inspected the house. Brockman told Beach Talk Radio, “I was never called. Work proceeded.” Specht told Beach Talk Radio that Brockman’s name was on file as the 3rd party inspector. When Brockman called Specht it raised an immediate red flag and Specht put a stop-work order on the home.
Orlandini put the blame at the feet of Brockman stating that “he never finishes his paperwork.” Orlandini said he’d provide us with that paperwork on several occasions but he never did. The town will now be inspecting the Scasny home when work starts back up.
The Orlandini/Brockman duo, whoever might be to blame, has caused a big delay for Scasny’s rebuild, already nearly two years in. He needs new drawings and a punch list of construction mistakes have to be fixed before he can start working on his house again. Orlandini has promised Scasny he’d make the fixes and eat the cost. Luckily for Scasny he took a ton of pictures along the way which will help him get through the process with the town. No work can be done until the fixes are made and Specht agrees everything is being done correctly. Until then the house hopping continues for Greg and his family.
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I will leave my name! The town should, once and for all, look into all of the construction, subcontractors and inspections that occurred on 3056 Estero Blvd. Terry and Joe’s refusal to finish the house and close on it as promised, or at all, cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars. Exterior doors that don’t close, permits, inspections and fines were all stated reasons for their lack of performance. I hope this home is leveled before another unsuspecting homeowner gets trapped in their chaos and incompetence.
He’s a crook. Should be in jail. Bribed old beach inspectors and didn’t pay subs!!!
Sorry but this guy is shady AF. Scamming people who have money is one thing, but scamming someone who doesn’t with broken promises and dreams is the lowest POS out there. Joe O. needs to be shut down stat. It’s one thing to go into business to make money, but it takes the lowest POS to do it and take advantage of those who don’t. SHAME ON YOU JOE!!
Boy are you brave. Not wanting to share your name!
Orlandini is a sociopath. He is a grifter who wants everyone to think he owns the beach. Horrible person.
Don’t dare give out your name? Joe helped many people out after the hurricane.
Two died due to incompetence and/or fraud. Prosecution seems appropriate.
And what about Brockman, the “private inspector”? He was the guy who signed off on the Palermo property that killed two ppl this week. Does that joker still have his license??!? Are these folks not accountable to any state licensing board??
Dan your an idiot!!!! Do you have an idea how many people operate under someone else’s license? Do you?? Gc, electric, plumbing.. its not illegal!!! Amd your making it seem that way! Get your facts straight before you get sued for defamation
Joe O. is not even a real licensed contractor – he has never passed the tests needed that would prove he has ample knowledge to build a house. He uses another contractor (Stephen Sutter) as his “qualifier”. While this seems legal, I think it smells fishy.
Many plumbers, electricians, AC and some builders, all use qualifiers. That’s not a secret, plus it is legal… YOU JUST HAVE TO SORT through and get good referrals. If unsure, ask people who live on the island and/or work in real estate (they know who is good and who is not) and it becomes pretty clear, who to use and who to RUN away from.