Minimum Standards Exist for a Reason
The building codes include the International Residential Code (IRC) and local municipal ordinances. These codes touch on just about every aspect of building a house, and they are written to ensure that homes are built safely and competently. When constructing a home, builders must adhere to the strictest applicable code. This adherence is a minimum legal standard of quality, not a premium add-on. Violations of the building code are either done intentionally to save money, or inadvertently due to incompetence. Either way, a code violation is itself proof of builder negligence. Builders will often hire incompetent subcontractors to construct the home at the lowest possible cost, and in many cases they will begin construction without receiving the proper permits, or without following the permits that they did receive. Later, if homeowners notice these code breaches, builders will often claim that the violations are just minor deviances and aren’t a big deal. Builders hope to get away with cutting corners by taking advantage of buyers’ ignorance. By remaining informed of your rights, you can avoid forfeiting your legal protections and entitlements. If your builder violated the building code, you were sold a substandard product in violation of the law. For every minor violation that you notice, there could be several major hidden defects that would lead to problems later down the line. These defects can manifest in various areas of the construction process, including grading, roofing, framing, and drywall and window installation. They can also leave your home more susceptible to fires and water damage. Even if your home passed building department inspections and a certificate of occupancy was issued, it does not mean that the building code has been waived and all of your builder’s violations were forgiven. The law recognizes that inspectors can easily miss hidden code violations, and so a builder remains liable for their negligence even after the building department has provided their stamp of approval. It is the responsibility of your builder to construct your home in accordance with the building codes, and if they dropped the ball, only they are to blame.