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Building Codes & Permits

Building Codes
Building codes are standards created to ensure the structural safety of buildings. They are established and enforced by your local government, usually through your city or county's building department. Every state, county, and local municipality has adopted their codes from one of the three nationally recognized building codes: UBC (Uniform Building Code), BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators), and CABO (Council of American Building Officials). The new IRC (International Residential Code) is a combination of the other three. All are very similar in content. However, many regions have additional, more stringent regulations because of extreme weather or geographic conditions. If you live in the earthquake-prone areas of the Pacific Coast or the hurricane risk areas of the East Coast, Gulf Coast, or Nevada, the greater Chicago area, New Jersey, or many parts of New York, be sure to inquire about the specifics of these additional requirements.

Permits
Before you begin construction of your home, you'll need to obtain a building permit by demonstrating with your house plan, and other documents, that your new home will comply with all applicable building codes. Depending on where you live, this can be a simple process of filling out a form, or it may require additional steps if your area has established patterns of hurricanes or earthquakes. Building departments in these high-risk areas typically require you to hire a state-licensed structural engineer to analyze your design and produce additional drawings and calculations, which you include in your permit documentation. Many areas have established energy codes. To comply with these regulations, you usually fill out a short form. Also, many building departments require a professional stamp from an engineer or architect who is licensed in the state you plan to build your home. Most building departments can give you a handout with a checklist of all the required documentation for your permit.

Your House Plan
All house plans from HouseplanGuys.com are designed to conform to the local codes where the original house was constructed. For most areas of the country, your house plan from HouseplanGuys.com includes all the information (see What's Included) you'll need to build your house-but not necessarily everything you need to obtain a building permit. Excluding hurricane and earthquake requirements, you will need to submit a site plan to show the house's placement on your property. For other local requirements, you may, for example, need to resize beams to accommodate roof loads specific to your area, or if your lot is not served by a sewer system, you may need a septic design. Builders can usually help you obtain these documents because they are familiar with local codes and permit process. If not, give us a call and we'll help you find the information or professional assistance. If you need to modify your house plan, hire only qualified personnel that can make the revisions according to your local codes. It will save you time and money in the long term.

The Fine Print
All construction drawings, products, or services ordered through Houseplans Inc., and its subsidiaries, HouseplanGuys.com, and Houseplans.com, are provided as is. Houseplans, Inc., is not liable for incidental, consequential, special, or indirect damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, loss of anticipated profits, business opportunity, or other economic loss arising out of the use of services, products, or construction drawings received from Houseplans Inc., even if Houseplans Inc., has been advised of the possibility of such damage. In the event that any liability is imposed on Houseplans Inc., or its subsidiaries, Houseplans Inc., liability to you or any third party shall not exceed the price paid to Houseplans Inc., for its product or service.