Be involved in building process
Q. I am planning to build a house next year. I have heard of "code" houses that are not of the highest quality. What is a code house and what quality items and issues should I discuss with my builder?
Jen F.
A. The finished quality of a house basically depends upon the design, the quality of the materials used and the quality of the workmanship. You will have control over the design and the materials, but not the workmanship. This is why it is important to select a contractor with a good reputation or select good subcontractors if you are building it yourself.
A "code" house is one which just meets the minimum standards for the building codes in your area. This does not mean the house is bad and will collapse around you. With a code house, you may find the plumbing is on the noisy side, the floors are a little springy and/or your utility bills are higher than you expected.
The first step to building a quality house is to study the building codes. If you cannot find them, contact the International Code Council, (800) 423-6587, www.iccsafe.org. Discuss the major components of your home and how you plan to use the rooms with your builder. For example, if you plan to have an exercise or weight room, you may decide to make the floors significantly stronger than code requires.
Once the house is under construction, visit the building site often, even daily if possible. Carry a copy of the codes with you and make sure the contractor and subcontractors see you reading through them. This will let them know you are well informed and hopefully will be an incentive for them to do high quality work.
There are a couple of areas in which upgrades from code are generally advisable if your budget will allow for them. Consider using engineered lumber and I-beams for the floor joists. These are considerably stronger than the flooring lumber which codes require. Using engineered lumber also conserves high-quality lumber because it is made of smaller pieced which are assembled into the larger beams.
Install extra electrical service. Although a 40-circuit electrical panel may not be needed now, you may need it in the future. Have your builder install extra conduits between all the floors. These will come in handy for future wiring needs as houses become more automated and interactive.
The sound of water flowing through the plumbing can be annoying at night. Upgrading the drain lines to cast iron pipe, instead of PVC, can reduce the sounds significantly. Cast iron piping is more expensive, but it absorbs sound. You can still use inexpensive PVC drain pipes for the portion of the plumbing which is underground.
Another plumbing upgrade is to install a one-inch supply pipe from the street to the house. Within the house, use ¾-inch pipe from the supply pipe to each of the fixture groups (bathroom, kitchen and laundry). Code usually requires only ½-inch pipe.
Installing higher quality windows can significantly reduce noise from outdoors and your utility bills. Double-pane glass with a low-emissivity coating and inert gas in the gap between the panes is a good choice. Casement style windows are more expensive than some others, but they seal very well and provide good natural ventilation when opened.
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