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Like them or not we do have building codes to deal with in most places around the country. If the location where we are building has lax enforcement that is another matter. I would like to think that all of us would like to build a strong, safe, long lived structure. Part of my reasoning behind starting this topic stems from my belief that some owner-builders make mistakes out of ignorance that even the most corner cutting pro would shy away from. Some 'errors' are made because someone saw pictures of 'it' posted someplace on the internet. "It worked over there, so...."
Thomas Jefferson with a proclamation regarding what would be one of the first American Building Codes. Yes, that Thomas Jefferson. I think his buddy George Washington was in on this too. President Jefferson lays out the new building code for the District of Columbia proclaiming that all new houses should be built of brick or stone, and “….that the wall of no house shall be higher than 40 feet to the roof in any part of the City, nor shall any be lower than 35 feet on any of the Avenues.” Present day D.C. has changed little from this original code–there are no tall buildings in the city other than the Washington Monument. The President’s Proclamation appears on page one of the National Intelligencer, Washington’s premier newspaper.Source: The Mitchell ArchivesClick on image link, then click again to enlarge
(like forcing a cabin builder to build a 2x12 floor for an 8 foot span and stuffing R38 insulation in it for part time use -- seriously).
You may be surprised, but I place myself as being closer to a libertarian than either a democrat or a republican.On the one hand I was having fun with the Jefferson article/proclamation. On the other I am deadly serious.But first, whether or not Thomas Jefferson or George Washington had slaves has absolutely nothing to do with building codes. Nothing. Bringing that into the discussion is smoke and mirrors, nothing more, nothing less.
The document I quoted does show that Jefferson did believe that not all laws had to be directly spelled out in the Constitution. Does it not?
That seems quite clear to me. If I am wrong, show me how. (On the slavery thing, I believe it is generally now agreed that in general, the Founders thought slavery was wrong, but they believed that insisting on the abolition of slavery at that point in time would have made the Union effort fail. So they decided to overlook that and to “fix” things later. Separate matters, separate emotions, nothing at all to do with building codes.)
No one that I know of is stating that the codes are perfect. The latest iteration of the IRC, with the residential fire sprinkler requirements is a classic example of an idea that may have merit, but that was too hastily written with too little thought to all the implications. There have been previous problems that were corrected in subsequent versions of the IRC. So yes, the works of mankind are imperfect. We keep on trying to get it right.
If we did not have building codes, we, that is the average person who has zero knowledge of “how things work” would be at the mercy of the contractor/builder who builds the majority of the housing in this country. We would totally be relying on the integrity of the hired builder. Totally. 100%. Are you comfortable with that? (By “you” I mean the generic “you”; no one in particular, just the current reader.) How do you balance "freedom" with protection from the scumbags, the robber barons.... ?
My experience, I repeat, is that fighting bureaucrats is often a losing battle no matter how right you are. Therefore, in my Libertarian mind, the solution is simple: don't give them the power to enforce the codes and don't make the codes the law unless they are specifically there to protect someone elses right to life, liberty and property.
Fighting bureacrats is a losing battle?
In the end, my friend, I agree that if you can prove that anything I am doing is going to affect or restrict someones right to life, liberty or property then I'm all ears.
....or toothpaste in the bathroom....