Everything needs to be up to code

May is Building Safety Month by the International Code Council (ICC) — a not-for-profit organization that develops codes and building standards to ensure safe buildings and structures.

The month aims to bring awareness to all aspects of building safety and how it affects families, homeowners and communities. That includes highlighting measures that help ensure our homes and workplaces are safe — and stay safe.

It focuses on building codes and educating the professional workforce on how to build and maintain safe and sustainable structures. This is also important to homeowners contemplating renovations or construction.

Building codes are there to protect us and establish minimum standards for construction.

Builders and contractors must stay up to date on local building codes, including updates. Building codes change depending on where you live, and there might be various codes builders need to comply with, such as the National Building Code of Canada, and provincial and municipal codes.

There are consequences for not doing things right, and builders need to ensure that they are following the proper code to build a safe structure before they start construction.

The National Building Code of Canada gives us a set of construction guidelines and building practices that look at the design and construction of new buildings, as well as major renovations to existing buildings. Sometimes this national code is amended to reflect regional needs, and then these get published as provincial codes. (Provincial codes are what most contractors and builders will primarily use to guide their projects.) Sometimes, municipalities will adjust details in a provincial building code to address local needs — such as how far your air conditioning unit can be from the property line, how tall your fence can be or how much green space your project must have.

Building codes can also change based on new research and information that improve structures’ performance. That can include issues such as flood proofing, fireresistance, structural strength, high winds, sustainability and ensuring we have safe drinking water, proper airflow and higher energy efficiency.

The permit process is designed to ensure that renovations or construction follows local building code requirements.

Inspectors would conduct an inspection of the construction and ensure that it follows code and matches the drawings that were approved.

Building codes and safety regulations are there to protect us, and getting the right permits and following code ensures that the project is done right and that the structure is safe.