Our Hobbit Hole.Com

Dallas · Joined: 30 Jun 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Oregon

Mainly so your house doesn't fall down on your head or burn up too fast. It is a Fire and Life Safety Issue. In the old, old days (Babylon circa....oh I dunno...5,000 years ago) there was the Code of Hammurabi. Which said if the house falls down and the owner's son is killed the builder's son shall be put to death. Likewise if the falling building cut off the owner's leg, then the builder's leg is forfeit. Get the idea? Tough building code.

Nowdays, there are experts (structural engineers, architects, building inspectors) who insure (at your expense) you don't do something stupid...like let your hobbit hole fill up with sewer gas and explode...cave in from an earthquake...drown in because you have no egress out the back bedroom...things like that. But doesn't that add to the cost, you say? You bet! But what cost your neighbor's son who came and spent the night for your son's sleepover?

So building codes are a necessary...umm blessing. And even if you don't have any in your location....go get an engineer, architect or someone to put their license and reputation behind your design.

Aarrrggghhh....I really didn't mean to preach.... Rolling Eyes

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 40

I was surprised to find that Wikipedia actually has quite an extensive article on the history of building codes, their purpose, etc, that you can find here.