The idea of Building Codes dates back almost 4000 years to Babylon. The Code of King Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian Law/code of ancient Mesopotamia. Hammurabi ruled from 1792 to 1750 BC. The Rules appear to be dating back to about 1754 BC. The code consists of 282 laws, with scaled punishments, adjusting “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Laws 229 to 233 decree that if a builder of a house collapses and kills the owner, the builder must die. If the house falls and kills the son of the owner, the builder’s son must die, and so on. You can view the stone slab that was discovered in 1901 as it is on display in the Louvre, Paris.

In todays modern world this would probably guarantee that most builder’s would do an excellent job instead of “get by” or Cheap Charlie methods. But since that is not the current law of this land, we have our own set of Building Codes/laws. These originated in the U.S. following great fires in the 1800’s. On October 8, 1871 about 9 pm, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow in Chicago kicked over a lantern in the barn. The hay caught on fire and before the last of the fire was put out two days later, 300 people were dead, 100,000 were homeless and 3.3 square miles of Chicago had burned down.

Pressure from insurance companies upon City Hall created one of the first sets of Building Codes in 1875. Other things happened in the end of that century. On December 31, 1879 Thomas Edison turned on street lights for the first time in Menlo Park, New Jersey. A fabulous invention was the light bulb that used Electricity. But what is Electricity? When electric fires and shocking experiences began to happen the first National Electrical Code came out in 18 years later in 1897 to literally save lives and buildings.

The first Uniform Building Codes that were designated to be used across America were compiled and issued in 1927. This proved to be confusing at first as Farmer Fred and his brother just raised a barn when they wanted. Now they had to have some City Slicker come by and tell them they did something wrong. The acceptance over the country slowly proceeded as City Inspectors had to learn the codes also. You can easily imagine that the codes have become more focused and detailed as Fire Marshals and investigations reviewed the cause of catastrophes.

The most current “Building Codes” used in America are the International Building Codes (IBC) and the International Residential Codes (IRC) that were developed in the mid 1990’s. The “Residential” codes were to discuss rules and designs that were not commercial buildings and skyscrapers, etc. The consolidation of several building association bodies across the country to one consistent “Guideline” for the entire country is now predominately followed by all Municipal Building Departments using the IRC and IBC.

Just be careful when a contractor comes to your beautiful 1910 Craftsman house and tells you, “Your house doesn’t meet code. This over here is illegal.” What he meant is that he cannot build it this same way today and must follow the new building codes IF you are going to remodel or add on. No Government agency comes into your house to attack you. You did no wrong in purchasing the house and have little or no need to change anything. You can usually leave it as it is……. unless you want to remodel that is.