Home Builder, Architect, Inspector, Carpenter, Plumber, Electrician, HVAC Contractor, who ever you are in the business of building residential homes, the Residential Building Code touches your life daily. "Oh, I haven't looked up anything in the Code for years." Well maybe it's time you did!
In some form or other, building codes have been in existence for hundreds of years. They have evolved to protect the safety and well being of people who live in houses, which includes almost everybody. The Code is the first line of defense to prevent and stop property damage, injury, and death from fire, weather related occurrences, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods. earthquakes, and more recently from man made materials that when misused can present a danger to health and well being. As everyone recognizes, in the modern world things are forever changing. So, on a national, state and local jurisdictional level the Code is updated regularly. So not keeping up with what's in the Code cannot be considered the path of a wise man or woman who builds houses
And it can cost you! The money lost due to inspection failures adds up to millions and millions of dollars in the USA, even in these lean times, when nobody can afford it, as if we ever could. Add in the loss of time, the frustration, and the hidden costs like that interest on the construction loan for a house still on the market because you can't go to closing until all the permits and inspections are passed and we're talking real pain. And another good reason to keep up on the Codes.
The case can even be made that even do-it-yourselfers should check out the Code for major projects around the home. It's not unusual with the increasing sophistication of building suppliers and the easy access of "how to" information for the average "joe" to add a deck, an extra room, or make a reasonably significant addition or change to their residence.
Americans are a confident people, which is a good thing. It makes us move forward in a very positive way. But the over confidence that can lead us to neglect available information, even the law; (the Residential Building Code is the law of the land when it comes to building homes) should be a concern of their pocketbooks and their conscience.
For more information on Residential Building Codes please visit http://www.codecoachresidential.com.
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