Michael Popich’s Love of Construction Helped Him Find His True Calling

Michael Popich wanted to be an inspector long before anyone knew – including himself. 

Having grown up with a father in the business industry, Popich had planned to follow in his footsteps while attending Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. However, he soon discovered his classes weren’t much different from the knowledge his father had already shared over the kitchen table, so he decided to major in history instead, which was another one of his passions.

After graduation, Popich pursued a career in the U.S. Army, but he was medically discharged 13 months after enlisting. His true calling was yet to come.

“I’ve always enjoyed the construction industry,” said Popich, who currently serves as Manager of the Bureau of Construction Services with the City of Indianapolis Department of Business & Neighborhood Services. “There’s that little boy inside of me that remembers going to the lumber aisle with my dad at the hardware store. That smell of sawdust always puts a smile on my face.”

Finding his Passion in Building Safety

Popich’s passion for construction was quickly reignited after he landed a job as a service technician at Fusion Builders. He worked his way through the ranks and became Director of Quality Assurance, a role that was not dissimilar to that of a traditional code inspector.

“Yes, there are the code requirements, but we as a company had our standards,” said Popich. “I was going out and inspecting work to make sure it met our company standards, not just the minimum code requirements.”

He had hoped to transition to a building inspector role after being laid off in 2008. Fusion Builders was among the many construction companies that closed following the subprime mortgage crisis, and Popich was among the millions of industry workers who lost their jobs during the Great Recession.

“I let it go, didn’t think about it,” Popich recalled. “Two years later I got an email from my wife that said, ‘I think you’d be perfect for this, I want you to apply.’”

His wife’s email included a link to a job posting for a building inspector in the City of Indianapolis. Popich got the job and loved every minute of it, serving as a field inspector for a little over three years.

“I also lucked out in that the portion of Indianapolis I was assigned to has a large historic district,” Popich added. “Both the old governor’s mansion and the current governor’s mansions were down there. I got to see these beautiful homes that were built by the movers and shakers of Indianapolis in the 1900s.”

Codes Evolve With Construction Changes, But Many States Are Slow to Keep Up

Popich said that, contrary to jurisdictions that have specialty inspectors who focus on individual trades (plumbing, electrical, etc.), Indianapolis inspectors are more generalists. They look at the structural aspects as well as electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling and fire and life safety systems, as well as accessibility requirements. Residential and commercial inspectors are currently separated to allow for some specialization within the bureau.

No matter the role, it is important for inspectors to stay on top of the latest code requirements. While the International Code Council updates the International Building Code® every three years, Popich said that most states operate on a six-year cycle, but Indiana went several years without an update.

At the state level, Indiana’s many codes – including those for fire, mechanical and gas – were implemented in 2014 and are based on the 2012 code cycles from the Code Council. The state is planning to adopt new codes soon, but it won’t happen overnight. Popich described it as a “long rulemaking process” that involves drafting a proposed rule, seeking public comment and analyzing the fiscal impact.

Popich chairs the Code Committee and Education Committee for the Indiana Association of Building Officials. In addition to training, teaching and informing people about codes, he is also dedicated to helping the state achieve consistency with how codes are interpreted and enforced. His job is possible in part because the state has adopted statewide codes across the board.

“That’s one of our main goals as an association – to educate professionals and promote that consistency,” said Popich.

Construction Can Create and Leave Behind Many Dangers, But There Are Ways to Stay Safe

As a Certified Building Official, Chairman of the Indiana Fire Prevention & Building Safety Commission, and First VP of the Indiana Association of Building Officials, Popich is very committed to building safety. He’s also Second VP for the Code Council’s Midwest Region V, which encompasses Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

Though there are a lot of ways to tackle safety challenges, Popich said the most important thing contractors can do to eliminate mistakes and prevent code violations is to communicate with their building inspector.

“It’s so much easier to contact and ask on the frontend than to try and fix on the backend,” Popich explained. “Having that open dialogue, having that rapport. It goes back to the fact that we’re on the same team. I’ve told my inspector for years, there’s never a situation where we should think of the relationship as adversarial.”

Even in the best of situations, accidents can and do occur – often without anyone realizing the danger of their actions until it’s too late.

“One time I was walking with a homeowner, he pointed to a 200-amp electrical panel and put his finger right in there,” said Popich. “I must have turned white because he looked at me, pulled his finger out and said, ‘That wasn’t a good idea, was it?’”

The homeowner’s actions could have been deadly, but it’s a mistake anyone can make. To prevent himself from doing something similar, Popich said he got in the habit of hooking his left thumb on the top pocket of his pants while turning his flashlight on with his right hand.

“That was my way of making sure I wasn’t pointing with my fingers,” said Popich. “I see so many people, they want to point at what the issue is. I always point with my flashlight.”

Onsite or In the Office, Popich is Eager to Help Inspectors Learn the Ins and Outs of Construction

Popich no longer inspects buildings on a day-to-day basis. As manager, he supports his staff of four supervisors and one chief project coordinator, who are out in the field along with a team of inspectors.

He still enjoys going out when he can, especially with new professionals. He’s eager to help them learn and understand the information within each code, and frequently recommends that inspectors pair their code book reading with searches on Google Images.

“You’re going to read something in the code that will make you shake your head and say, ‘What in the world are they talking about?’” said Popich. “But if you type it into Google Images, you’ll get 40 pictures of it and go, ‘Oh, that’s what that’s called!’”

Popich also wants his inspectors to understand the differences in terminology, as there may be a code term, a field term and contractor slang used to describe the exact same thing.

“Being able to understand those different aspects helps you come a long way,” Popich continued. “I’ve told my inspectors for years that if the day comes when they know everything, please retire. There are so many codes, and then the state amends the code. There may be new advances in technology, or new construction methods and materials. There’s always something new to learn in this industry.”

While Popich’s role has changed, he has fond memories of his time as an inspector. He especially liked remodels and the challenges involved in completing a modern update without compromising safety.

“It was a puzzle,” said Popich. “Where does the energy code come into effect in the old versus the new when you’re dealing with old plumbing and old electrical? It was one of the things where, yes, I had the same job title every day, but the job was different because every project was different. It was constantly stimulating my thoughts and that puzzle-solving side of me. It was just really enjoyable.”

Interested in a career in building safety? Safety 2.0 is the Code Council’s signature initiative to welcome a new generation of members and leaders to the building safety profession. Learn more, here.