It is common for professionals in construction development to have partial comprehension of building codes, regulations, and their scope. However, they may lack the bigger picture. Whether you have been investing in the industry for a long time or just dipping your toes into the construction industry, the basics of building regulations are in your considerations, designs, and execution of the project.
While zoning codes for construction projects ensure that the lands are legal, building codes ensure that the structural components such as building cladding systems are safe and meet the requirements that are set by the jurisdiction.
What are Building Codes?
The primary definition of building codes is that they are a set of regulations, laws, and ordinances created by a government authority to control and accept the physical construction of your building or home.
Jurisdiction of building regulations sets some rules for your building design, whether with metal claddings or traditional materials, the plumbing system you use, electrical system, and other components that will affect your home’s functionality and performance.
With this said, building codes are a collection of the core construction codes, including:
- Electrical Codes
- Plumbing Codes
- Mechanical Codes
The regulations and codes in the above group create the building codes of your project’s location.
Building regulations are specially designed to provide minimum requirements to protect homeowners and occupants in a building.
Functions of Building and Construction Regulations
Although we all know that our facilities will not be safely constructed without building regulations, we often forget their importance and functionality. Here are six reasons why building codes are necessary for the construction industry:
- Building Codes Ensure Public Safety
- Building Regulations Provide Public Services
- Codes are Necessary for Developing Accessible Structures
- Building Regulations Establish Reasonable Insurance
- Regulations Provide Ease of Ownership
- Codes and Regulations Standardize the Designs
Building Codes Ensure Public Safety
Public safety is crucial for any construction project, and its effects will transcend the building owners. From concerns about the public water supply to the general safety within or near the building, the construction of a single home has a large impact on the location.
Construction codes reduce the potential hazards, eliminate the threat of poorly designed facilities, and migrate the risk of fatal flaws that can harm the occupants of a building.
Building Regulations Provide Public Services
Building codes facilitate the requirement of public services. Like local emergency services provided by jurisdictions, building regulations also ensure the safety of people living in a house for emergency cases.
Building regulations also ensure your home engages well with your location in terms of building appearance, fire safety, noise, the backflow prevention in water systems. This is why the aluminum composite panel has become one of the construction materials most building contractors and architects use for their projects.
Codes are Necessary for Developing Accessible Structures
The law requires homes and buildings to provide equal access to all facilities. Thus, current building codes facilitate the general usage of a facility despite one’s disabilities.
Building Codes Establish Reasonable Insurance
Insurance companies reply to the local building codes to ensure one’s property at a reasonable rate by using the regulations as guidelines to be followed.
Additionally, finding insurance companies that do not meet code requirements is expensive, and even if your building was compliant with old building regulations and codes, it does not mean it still follows the current regulations.
Regulations Provide Ease of Ownership
Most homes and buildings will likely be traded many times throughout their lifespan, and new buyers should know their purchased home is kept up to the codes. Construction regulations and codes make this transaction easier since there are basic standards for homeowners to comply with to purchase the facility.
As some features of a building can be hidden and inspecting them is almost impossible to check, you should have building inspectors when evaluating compliance of the home you want to buy.
Codes and Regulations Standardize the Designs
As you know, residential and commercial buildings are complex and intricate structures, and it takes experienced professionals to ensure that a facility is constructed correctly. Thus, building codes create uniformity to improve the quality of new buildings, lower costs, and provide an opportunity for all contractors and building developers.
Although building regulations and codes establish the minimum requirements of a construction project, they make your application more predictable and easier to be done.