12-27-2009, 06:56 PM
Jerry,
It has always been my opinion that proper construction of structure and installation of electrical and plumbing components is a necessity, but, I’ve always questioned the mannerism in which it’s approached legislatively. This constant changing and claims of safety and evolving restrictions are way out of hand these days.
Through the years as you know we have a tendency to mull these matters over as we’re exposed to the regulations on a daily basis. IMO there should be no direct municipal involvement in these matters with regard to codes, regulations, inspections, etc. The municipalities should be left to manage zoning issues but nothing further. All Building related precedence should be established by the working professional members in the respective fields. There should be established a ranking level and it should be based on potential safety related hazards, etc, thus, considering fire value, seismic/wind and natural disaster resistance values, interior air quality values, energy ratings, etc. These home ratings would not be static but rather fluid, because as we know, technology and understanding progresses, effectively causing homes to sink within the ratings as our technologies and understanding evolve and the rating values become higher by digit designation. This would simplify matters for insurance companies and readily make transparent to a homebuyer the true condition and worth of the house before they purchase or build it.
All inspections should be done through rigidly monitored and regulated private inspection companies and builders/owners could purchase their services (should they elect) and a rating would be ultimately assigned to the house after all the appropriate inspections had taken place. Home’s that waive inspection services would have no rating and therefore “buyer beware” and most likely it would be difficult to impossible to insure and or finance.
This would allow for unlimited latitude in design, material and technique applications and bar relatively nothing within reason from being considered a home.
Personally speaking, I'm burned out on these issues and things have become a damn shame in the industry thanks to all these damn code revisions etc. It's a regular three ring circus now.
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.
It has always been my opinion that proper construction of structure and installation of electrical and plumbing components is a necessity, but, I’ve always questioned the mannerism in which it’s approached legislatively. This constant changing and claims of safety and evolving restrictions are way out of hand these days.
Through the years as you know we have a tendency to mull these matters over as we’re exposed to the regulations on a daily basis. IMO there should be no direct municipal involvement in these matters with regard to codes, regulations, inspections, etc. The municipalities should be left to manage zoning issues but nothing further. All Building related precedence should be established by the working professional members in the respective fields. There should be established a ranking level and it should be based on potential safety related hazards, etc, thus, considering fire value, seismic/wind and natural disaster resistance values, interior air quality values, energy ratings, etc. These home ratings would not be static but rather fluid, because as we know, technology and understanding progresses, effectively causing homes to sink within the ratings as our technologies and understanding evolve and the rating values become higher by digit designation. This would simplify matters for insurance companies and readily make transparent to a homebuyer the true condition and worth of the house before they purchase or build it.
All inspections should be done through rigidly monitored and regulated private inspection companies and builders/owners could purchase their services (should they elect) and a rating would be ultimately assigned to the house after all the appropriate inspections had taken place. Home’s that waive inspection services would have no rating and therefore “buyer beware” and most likely it would be difficult to impossible to insure and or finance.
This would allow for unlimited latitude in design, material and technique applications and bar relatively nothing within reason from being considered a home.
Personally speaking, I'm burned out on these issues and things have become a damn shame in the industry thanks to all these damn code revisions etc. It's a regular three ring circus now.
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.