Many people are surprised to find that a high price tag does not mean a new house is built well, or even that it fully adheres to the building codes. I’ve seen a huge number of violations on new, expensive houses. In Massachusetts, we have our own MA State Building Code, Electrical Code, and Plumbing Code; each differs from the national codes on which they are based. Inspectors for local building departments review each set of building plans prior to construction for the plans' adherence to codes. Many buyers are surprised to realize that the inspectors can't be expected to catch all actual violations during their site visits. It isn't possible, and it isn't their job to do so! Over the course of construction of an entire house, the time of all the on-site inspections added together will generally not total much over an hour.
There are good details - officially labeled BBRS "staff opinions"and "interpretations" - about many elements of the current One- and Two- Family Dwelling Code here. The Building Code sets a variety of minimum standards for sizing and support of various structural elements, and thermal insulation. The code sets its values to assure that nothing less than those will be used; they are not ideal design values. Quality building practices requires that these minimum values be exceeded in many cases.
Any contractor performing any remodeling project costing over $1,000 must have a valid MA Home Improvement Contractor registration, usually must hold a Construction Supervisor License, and must always give you a written contract.The MA Department of Public Safety Board of Building Regulations and Standards administered the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration Program until July 2009. It is now handled by the MA Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) which has a web page of FAQ about the HIC program linked to here.
OCA a web page entitled "Recommendations for the Building Owner When Selecting a Contractor to Perform Work on an Existing Home or to Construct a New Home" here.
The remodeling contract must include fourteen specific clauses; a downloadable 3-page PDF sample contract including the details is available from the OCA here (the link is at the bottom of the list).
There are are many ways contractors and tradesmen can cut corners in house construction and remodeling, some of which quickly become apparent, while many others remain undetected for varying lengths time but can lead to expensive yet unnecessary problems. This section aims to empower homeowners throughout the building process by offering information and guidance to have a true high quality project, and reduce the stresses from the building and remodeling process. After many years of working in remodeling and building new houses, taking hundreds of hours of continuing education classes at universities and construction conferences, and keeping abreast of current construction research and information through reading construction publications each month, I know a lot about what does and what does not hold up over time in a house. With a huge investment in your house, it is not the place to cut corners with quality.
Some problems are due to poor workmanship or low quality materials, especially when contractors, subcontractors, and materials are chosen for their low price. Many problems are due to the contractor (or owner) not knowing, or choosing not to do things thoroughly. The excuses too often are "nobody would pay to do that differently," and "no one is going to know." The catch is that many hidden problems don't just go away. Some will show up in the first two years, and others in the longer term, or in the ongoing performance of the building (roof leaks, uneven heat in winter, paint peeling, higher heating and cooling costs, bouncy floors, sounds carrying easily through walls, premature wood rot). I believe owners would demand more if they knew what to demand.
There are good details - officially labeled BBRS "staff opinions"and "interpretations" - about many elements of the current One- and Two- Family Dwelling Code here. The Building Code sets a variety of minimum standards for sizing and support of various structural elements, and thermal insulation. The code sets its values to assure that nothing less than those will be used; they are not ideal design values. Quality building practices requires that these minimum values be exceeded in many cases.
Any contractor performing any remodeling project costing over $1,000 must have a valid MA Home Improvement Contractor registration, usually must hold a Construction Supervisor License, and must always give you a written contract.The MA Department of Public Safety Board of Building Regulations and Standards administered the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration Program until July 2009. It is now handled by the MA Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) which has a web page of FAQ about the HIC program linked to here.
OCA a web page entitled "Recommendations for the Building Owner When Selecting a Contractor to Perform Work on an Existing Home or to Construct a New Home" here.
The remodeling contract must include fourteen specific clauses; a downloadable 3-page PDF sample contract including the details is available from the OCA here (the link is at the bottom of the list).
There are are many ways contractors and tradesmen can cut corners in house construction and remodeling, some of which quickly become apparent, while many others remain undetected for varying lengths time but can lead to expensive yet unnecessary problems. This section aims to empower homeowners throughout the building process by offering information and guidance to have a true high quality project, and reduce the stresses from the building and remodeling process. After many years of working in remodeling and building new houses, taking hundreds of hours of continuing education classes at universities and construction conferences, and keeping abreast of current construction research and information through reading construction publications each month, I know a lot about what does and what does not hold up over time in a house. With a huge investment in your house, it is not the place to cut corners with quality.
Some problems are due to poor workmanship or low quality materials, especially when contractors, subcontractors, and materials are chosen for their low price. Many problems are due to the contractor (or owner) not knowing, or choosing not to do things thoroughly. The excuses too often are "nobody would pay to do that differently," and "no one is going to know." The catch is that many hidden problems don't just go away. Some will show up in the first two years, and others in the longer term, or in the ongoing performance of the building (roof leaks, uneven heat in winter, paint peeling, higher heating and cooling costs, bouncy floors, sounds carrying easily through walls, premature wood rot). I believe owners would demand more if they knew what to demand.
QUALITY GUIDELINES
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INTRODUCTION
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