You will often hear architects, contractors, and engineers talking about how a building is “to code”, meaning it complies with the building codes. We talk about it like it’s a good thing, something to be proud of. But is it? Not really. The building code defines the worst acceptable building […]
Building Codes
5 posts
In this business, we talk a lot about whether or not something has been “built to code”, or that we must do something because it is “required by the code”. In this post, I want to step back a little bit and examine this issue of code compliance. The building […]
I’ve written about the ever changing building codes before. They are updated with changes every three years. California just adopted the 2016 Building Code, with the State’s own amendments, in January of 2017. I am now preparing the documents for projects which will be the first projects for which I […]
The other day I met with a client and the contractor to discuss the project. This project is in the Construction Documents phase – when we make the drawings used to apply for a permit and from which the Contractor will build. The contractor complimented me on the clarity of the drawings. […]
For home owners building codes can be a real mystery, particularly when the project is to remodel an existing house. New projects are required to comply with the current building code (the code in effect at the time you apply for a building permit). The general rule is that whatever […]