Cob building

[Rob Tucker]

You are kinda right about that. A Big Island truism. It's getting so bad here now it nearly takes as long to get a permit as it does to build a home. Thank you Billy.

[Wao nahele kane]

Applying Permits to home owners building their own home exceeds the State and County regulatory powers. If it were only applied to contractors or those engaged in the "business of" that would be a different issue. As it stands in practice now when applied to the private home owner builder, it violates the 9th amendment, the right to provide ones self and family shelter and other such basic necessities. In factuality, it's nothing short of a human rights violation.
Back in the old days (1950's-70's) when building codes were first adopted they focused on rudimentary issues of structural safety and crossed the thin blue line in effort to encourage safer building practices. As time progressed that effort was endlessly perfected to the point of over bearing unnecessary safeties all forced through several association based building boards composed of corporate owned manufacturing representatives and their pet products. It's beyond acceptable enforcement and become a damn burden on the industry. It's also one of the leading reasons for the recent economic building collapse of the 2000's rising the cost of construction through the window while promoting the need for ridiculously mammoth home loans. While everyone shakes their fists at the predatory lenders, everyone fails to see the demon seed that created the issue to begin with.

- Armed citizens provide security of a free State.

[Kaixin]

do you folk ever get together for tea?

[Wao nahele kane]

As a libertarian, I am strictly opposed to it, but by all means, throw a tea party.


- Armed citizens provide security of a free State.

[Bullwinkle]

building codes are in place for safety

I hate it when there are major disasters - grin

The UBC officials taking a page from the FAA and making updates / changes to mitigate the problems.... and driving up construction costs.

All though we all moan and bitch ..... Really I dont see anything wrong with the system that primarily protects new bees and first time buyers from themselves.

What I really like about this place that if one wants to live in a plywood "structure" that is cool too.....

[kalakoa]

If building codes were intended to promote "safety", they would be applied after construction as well as before and during.

Many "substandard" buildings exist all over the island -- but since they've passed "final inspection", it's totally okay, right?

[Bullwinkle]

If the consumer removes the brakes from his truck - and hits a wall - is Ford responsible......?

What one does with the property after purchase is their business - make a bad homespun electrical connection and the place burns down - sol as far as any insurance goes

do it to code - no issues

you pays your money - or takes your chances.....grin

[Rob Tucker]

Yeah but the history is that people sell homes to the unsuspecting and the history is also that given the opportunity people will cut corners for profit. The codes have evolved from a time when there were no codes and the development of building codes were the result of popular demand.

The Great Chicago Fire was one of the first such inspirations in the US. Later Hurricane Andrew added popular demand for improved codes after 35,000 homes collapsed. Then there was the Northridge earthquake followed by Katrina. The first codes in the world date back to the burning of Rome.

Human experience brings these things forward.

[kalakoa]

An apples-to-apples comparison, then.

There was a time when seatbelts were not mandatory, so the lack of seatbelts is grandfathered, and you are not required to retrofit a "classic" car to include them, thereby increasing the chances of a fatality.

In theory, this is a personal risk taken by the owner/operator. In practice, the public shares some of the expense from this risk.

I find it somewhat ironic that the "nanny state" will intrude anywhere and everywhere it "feels the need", often with the flimsiest of pretense, and yet nothing is done about other issues which have actual life-and-limb costs.

Downtown Pahoa is termites-holding-hands ("grandfathered") but a recycled schoolbus is illegal ("noncompliant").

Should make for an interesting decade or two, though. Fire up the popcorn...

[Rob Tucker]

I don't get your point. Laws and codes are not retroactive. Are you suggesting they should be?

I know people who own classic cars and have installed seat belts because it was smart and safer. Those old steel dashes were hard on the nose and head. When old grandfathered structures are renovated beyond a point they too are required to be brought up to code. People cheat on that as much as they can because the profit motive encourages them to do as little work as possible.