12/22/10, 01:58 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,274
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I agree with Texican, especially since I have a talent for silly mistakes.
Regarding zoning, codes, and inspectors: I totally disagree. While some of the codes may be weird or unnecessary in some circumstances, they are a free valuable resource if used correctly.
If you elude inspectors and codes, try to sell your house and you will get a lesson. If you choose to live forever in your homemade habitat, do what you want.
Look for news stories on calamities around the world. I do not recall any such news stories saying multifamily structures broke apart while single family dwellings survived.
Due to my interest in papercrete, I have learned it is very similar to cellulose insulation. I think I can produce my own insulation almost for free from discarded newspaper. I visited the county building department and asked. The response was: you can make your own insulation, however, the cost to validate the insulative value would be a lot higher than just buying it and keeping the receipt. Then we know the validated R value, the amount you used, and it is a lot cheaper than getting an agency to come to your property and do tests to get your insulation values. Plus you get to use the machine for free to put it into your walls or ceilings.
Now it may be hard to agree that buying insulation would be better if it could be made at home for free (not including the boric acid which prevents molds, fungi, insects, and air infiltration). If this were the only situation to judge from, I would just do it myself. However, there have been a handfull of such encounters with the building department. I have not gotten a single permit yet. Their input has helped me see how some of my initial ideas or dreams need modification to be done well (not just according to code). None of these were inspections even though an inspector visited my property twice to understand my questions and make suggestions. These were conversations to help me get my do-it-myself mentality aligned so the building department is a resource to keep me on the right track.
You are not going to get the building department to look the other way by referring to those CA engineers who claim building codes are worthless. Interesting that the building departments require an engineer's signature and stamp if I am going to try something they do not understand. I could not get an engineer to devote time to my projects unless I pay the price. I would never get one to come to my property and appraise an idea for building my future home unless I pay for their travel time, mileage, and opinion.
So my suggestion regarding building inspectors and codes is: develop a relationship with the building department. Spend time thinking before asking questions. Don't hide.
In Denver, there was a 3 million dollar house that started sliding down Green Mountain. The building inspector was sued because he allowed the house to be made as is where it was. So even with architect, engineers, professional contractors and permits, the house slid, and the inspector was punished.
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~*~Erin~*~
