We're homeowners helping homeowners navigate custom home construction via online education. Owner Notes is a weekly email with expert tips and advice for anyone planning (or dreaming about) building a custom home.
Building Within "The Code"
Welcome to Owner Notes, a free newsletter for anyone planning on (or dreaming about) building a custom home.
👉 If you enjoy Owner Notes, share this link with pals or read past issues.
Hello friends!
Last week, we discussed saving money on cost per square foot and what you can do to help stay within your budget. This week, we're focusing on the regulatory side of construction and what you need to know about working within local building codes.
Building Codes
"The Code" as a Guide
When designing and building your house, you'll hear architects, designers, and builders refer to "the code" as a guide for making decisions. The code is a set of requirements that must be met for your home to be considered safe and pass inspection. It governs a wide variety of elements that in most cases focus on protecting health and safety along with avoiding harmful construction materials and practices.
One of the basics of building codes is fire safety. For example, every bedroom must have more than one exit. This way, the occupant can escape if the interior door is blocked by fire. This is called egress.
The Source: International Building Codes
Today, most building codes are based on international standards known as the International Building Code (IBC).The IBC is a model set of building codes, based on scientific studies, that have been adopted by most jurisdictions in the US. While local authorities may have differing interpretations of the codes, the IBC is the standard for most residential construction.
Codes and Inspections
Before you move in, your local government will want to ensure that your home is up to code. This will happen via inspections. Every inspector is different and every location treats building codes a little differently. It can be helpful to learn about the local perspective on building codes and what inspectors are likely to prioritize. There may be more room for interpretation then you expect.
Our Story - Codes and Deck Railings
Some building codes can seem limiting, but they can also prompt creative thinking. For example, our home has a view that we didn't want to block too much with railings in the traditional location.
So, we studied the building codes for our county and what is allowed in our location. We learned that a deck can have a drop of 30" without a railing, as long as there is a 36" landing.
​
With this in mind, we started to consider a deck with two levels, with the lower level having the railing. This way, the view from the home would flow over the top of the lower railing.
We added a bench seat that is also a great place for plants.
We were able to build within the code, and find a creative way to accomplish what we wanted.
Recent Posts
- ​How to Get Ahead with Your Creative Brief​
- ​Designing Your Home for Wildfire Safety​
- ​Trends in Lumber Prices and Housing Starts​
- ​10 Ways to be a Great Home Construction Client​
- ​How to Save on Cost Per Square Foot​
- ​Red Flags When Hiring Contractors​
👉 All Issues of Owner Notes​
Finally... Help for HomeownersUntil now, homeowners haven't had a resource that clearly explains the entire planning and construction process from the homeowner's perspective. That's our goal: to help you save time and money by understanding and navigating every phase of your home's construction.
|
That's what I have for now. See you next week!
 |
Lee LeFever, Build Livable​
- Build Livable helps homeowners navigate custom home construction. Learn More.
- Please feel free to forward this email to a friend. Subscribe and view past issues.
​
Build Livable's Owner Notes + Courses for Homeowners
We're homeowners helping homeowners navigate custom home construction via online education. Owner Notes is a weekly email with expert tips and advice for anyone planning (or dreaming about) building a custom home.
Welcome to Owner Notes, a free newsletter for anyone planning on (or dreaming about) building a custom home. 👉 If you enjoy Owner Notes, share this link with pals or read past issues. Hello friends! As those of us in the U.S. prepare for Thanksgiving, I'm to share a connection between Thanksgiving dinner and planning a new home. If you've never hosted Thanksgiving dinner, it may be easy to think, "How hard could it be? It's just putting out some plates and cooking a few dishes. I could do...
Welcome to Owner Notes, a free newsletter for anyone planning on (or dreaming about) building a custom home. 👉 If you enjoy Owner Notes, share this link with pals or read past issues. Hello friends! We offer two comprehensive online courses that prepare homeowners for construction: Home Planning Navigator (normally $99) Home Construction Navigator (normally $99) Starting today, we're offering a Black Friday 2-for-1 discount on these courses. Get BOTH for $99 until November 28th. Get the...
Welcome to Owner Notes, a free newsletter for anyone planning on (or dreaming about) building a custom home. 👉 If you enjoy Owner Notes, share this link with pals or read past issues. Hello friends! There is a gap in the experience needed to build your custom home. The gap causes time and money to be wasted. It creates stress and anxiety for homeowners. It's a missing piece of the house-building puzzle that's been there for too long. What's in the Gap Building a new home may be one of the...