May is National Building Safety Month.
Building safety is for everyone — from simply installing smoke alarms in your house, to the adoption of modern building codes.
More than just building codes, there are also codes for fire safety, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, pools and spas, electrical and energy.
The State of Michigan adopts codes that are enforced throughout Michigan and these ensure that minimum standards for the public health, safety and welfare of citizens are met.
A search of the internet will show that codes have been in existence since as far back as the code of King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire. Some of the King’s codes are as follows: “229: If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.”
“232: If it ruins goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house from his own means, that is at his own expense.”
Codes have changed significantly since the time of Hammurabi, but throughout history we’ve seen new codes come into effect to create safe buildings. Many have heard of the Great Chicago Fire and the legend of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. This is one of a few instances that brought about changes to the fire code.
It is important to have a contract with the person or company hired for a project. Homeowners should ensure that the person or company hired has the required credentials to perform the work. Homeowners should never pull their own permit if a licensed individual or company has been hired to complete the project. At the end of the day, inspectors, contractors, tradesmen all want the same thing: A safe product for the home or property owner.
Inspections are part of the building and remodeling process, as they are safety measures to protect life and property while also preventing code failures and potentially dangerous situations. It is important to understand that the permit holder is responsible for any violations that may be issued.
Permits are required for home improvements that include electrical, mechanical, structural or plumbing work. Examples of projects that require permits:
• Installing electrical outlets
• Window changes that increase or decrease the opening
• Remodeling kitchens or bathrooms • Installing a pool, spa or hot tub • Building an addition, including seasonal rooms
• Installing equipment and replacements such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and space heaters
• Building a deck
• Building or placing a shed that is over 200 square feet * *A building permit is not required for a one-story detached accessory structure that is 200 square feet or less in size. Always remember to check with your Township or Village Zoning Administrator.
The Building Safety Department is only one piece of the construction puzzle in Leelanau County. Depending on your project, other approvals from local permitting agencies are required prior to submitting a building permit application with our office.
These include approvals from the Leelanau County Planning Department for an address, your Township or Village Zoning Administrator for land use approval, the Conservation District for soil erosion control, the Leelanau County Road Commission or Michigan Department of Transportation for driveways and the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department for well and septic systems. Please reach out to our office if you are unsure of what approvals you might need for your project.
Source for Hammurabi’s Code of Laws: faculty.collin.edu/mbailey/ hammurabi% 27s% 20laws. htm
