The building boom continues in Madison. But the number of city building inspectors is going down, not up, Linda Eggert reported.

The cut could mean slower inspections and, perhaps, delays in some construction.

Anybody who drives around Madison knows the incredible rate of construction. Already this year, a hundred more building permits have been issued than at the same time last year.

The question now is: Can building inspectors keep up?

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Time to check the blueprints for city building inspector Carl Anderson. And another house in yet another subdivision.

Try to fill Anderson's shoes and you'd have a hard time keeping up.

For the past 27 years, Anderson (pictured) has traveled up to 40 miles to do 15 to 20 inspections a day.

But his safety checks on countless frames and foundations are nearly over. Next month, he retires.

"I'm moving on while I'm young enough to do other things," he said.

Anderson laughs, but knows how much he'll be missed.

When he started there was no west side of Madison. And the city had seven building inspectors.

After he leaves, the city will have three, and no money to fill his spot anytime soon, Eggert reported.

"I'd say the inspectors are more nervous than I am because they know what this does to their workload, and they know what it feels like not to deliver the services we usually deliver," said Linda Grubb, city building inspection unit director.

"That becomes a real problem; when you really get under pressure, you're forced to spend less time going through each house, and then you walk away wondering did I miss anything?"

Anderson's already cutting corners trying to keep up. Just one house can mean five separate inspections -- plus set-up and monitoring of erosion control, Eggert reported.

Builders are nervous, too. Their whole project depends on timely inspections.

"Obviously, we have things scheduled, each person comes in, a subcontractor one after the next, and if there's not an inspection done we don't get the next person in," David Rasmussen of Cornett Homes said.

And that can mean construction delays. Builders don't think homeowners will be affected, but don't know for sure.

Right now, builders get inspected the same day they call. After Anderson leaves, they could wait a day -- even two.

Other inspectors from other areas will be brought in to help until the city budget picture clears up.