I agree with everything you say here. For me it is definitely a case of not having the money to jump through all the hoops, especially the requirement for licensed plumber and electrician. I can see the reason for this but in my case, having gotten estimates, this puts building out of reach for me. I am happier living without those things but I believe they are required. What I need to do (and will do when the time comes) is draw up my plans with details and sit down and discuss it. I am actually looking forward to doing this and will probably bring along my handycam to document it.
Thanks for taking the time to share this information with us. It's easy to get caught up in emotions which interfere with reasoning. Good to have reminders to keep us on track.
Sincerely, Judith
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To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
From: slurryguy@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:19:00 +0000
Subject: [papercreters] Papercrete and Building Codes
I thought I'd share a few thoughts about Papercrete and Building Codes.
There are two perspectives I find dominant when people discuss Building Codes.
1. Philosophical
2. Practical.
1. Philosophical.
The reasons codes exist and who they benifit the most can get many people all excited. This often stems from personal independence. There is a desire for someone to build what they want, how they want, on their own land. Sounds great doesn't it? Patrick Henry might have shouted from his own hand-built rooftop, "Give me constuction freedom, or give me death." (cue the brass-band fanfare.)
Each person may or may not agree with this particular perspective. Many may argue whether or not such a viewpoint is the "correct" perspective to interpret building codes and the laws behind them. While this perspective is great for making passionate speeches, I have never seen it do much to help anyone actually build anything successfully in the real world. (Except for building up debt, a lot of headaches, and building big legal bills.)
2. Practical.
Sooner or later, somebody ... somewhere ... wants to move beyond the idealistic visions, the associated arguments, and actually build a house. SHOCKING!!!
These hard working people are mostly concerned about putting a roof over their heads. They may or may not have strong opinons about the philosophic arguments surrounding building codes, but there comes a point where they either face the codes and deal with them directly, or get burned by them. It's all about building the best structure someone can afford for the least amount of money, time, effort, and stress. Welcome to the real world. I wish each builder well. Nobody said it was going to be EASY.
The Building Codes and the laws behind them are what they are. An individual that hopes to construct a building and not go bankrupt in the process must deal with the codes that are adopted and enforced in their location. How they feel about them won't matter. Flowery talk typically won't impress zoning boards or building inspectors.
If a great speech won't satisfy a building inspector, what will?
A good set of plans and quality construction!
Several responses to the "How did you purchase your land?" thread specifically indicated that many buyers intentionally LOOKED for land in areas that had minimal or no building codes. THAT IS EXTREMELY PRACTICAL. Those individuals saved themselves many headaches and significant expense. If the desire is to use non-standard construction techniques, this is the least expensive and simplest option.
There is a catch. Areas that do not have building codes usually have significantly lower property values and appreciate more slowly than areas that have building codes. I could type a long winded explanation justifying this statement, but I'll save everyone's eyes the strain and encourage doubters to prove me wrong. Oh sure... there are undoubtedly special instances where building codes have reduced property values. I'm sure it has happened someplace. One, two, or even TEN examples hardly compete with the thousands and millions of houses that follow the value and appreation pattern I've described. For the overwhelming mass majority of situations my statement will be accurate.
You may or may not like it, but those are the facts that exist in the real world when you want to build something. You either deal with those facts, or get burned.
Not everyone that would like to build with papercrete wants to live in a rural area. Yes, rural areas are most likely to not have building codes. There are actually many people who want to live in or near a city. Good luck finding a city with a population of more than a few thousand that has no building codes. They are extremely rare, if they exist at all. For these people, the real question is, "What is the best way to deal with my local building codes when I build with papercrete?"
My opinion is that the smartest builders are open and honest with their local building department. They draw up plans on paper and take them in to seek approval. They LISTEN CAREFULLY. They adjust their paper plans until they find a design that is approved.
Once those plans are approved, the building inspectors become much EASIER to deal with. All those inspectors will be doing is confirming that actual construction matches the approved plans. In almost every circumstance imaginable, this will be the easiest, CHEAPEST, and fastest way to complete your building. You'll also be able to live in your house with a lot less stress because you won't be worried whenever a government official drives down the street that you might get busted.
Of course, some people try to play games. They try to sneak around and ignore the codes and hope they don't get caught. They choose to risk months and years of hard work, thousands of dollars, and their own peace of mind. If they ever have to sell their house and move, they often discover that their property is valued at just the price of the land, sometimes less (the amount it will cost to tear the house down). All of that hard work and nothing to show for it because they wanted to bypass the system.
Their next step is to blame the governement, or the financial system, or the insurance companies, or the bank for cheating them. They almost NEVER admit that they CHOSE the path that put them where they are.
Can building codes make construction a pain in the butt? YOU BET! At times they can be so frustrating that you want to pull your hair out. Working with them still beats the practical real world alternatives.
Long story short... the best and least expensive time to debate the merits of your construction is when the building is on paper, and not while it is under construction.
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