House Codes and Renovating Your Home

The Importance of Following Housing Codes When Renovating Your Home

One of the worst situations homeowners can find themselves in is being told by city officials that their homes must be torn down and rebuilt due to home code violations. This doesn’t only waste your time but can also be very expensive in terms of city citations and, of course, having to rebuild. Therefore, here are some of the reasons why it is so important to make sure that your renovation is up to housing code.

Reduce Potential Safety Risks

Both city and private contractors take safety very seriously. Not only can projects such as electrical work be dangerous to your safety, but they can also be dangerous for your neighbors. Making sure your electrical wiring is up to code can help prevent the cause of an arc flash or other hazardous electrical problems. Thus, it is highly recommended that a professional electrician is brought in to do this type of work. Sure, it might be a little expensive, but having to pay city citations and rebuilding certain areas of your home again will no doubt burn a deeper hole in your pocket.

Have the Right Permits

Obtaining permits can be a real hassle. It’s safe to say that most cities, states, and HOA organizations require permits to be filled out. There are various locations to visit, papers to be signed, and verifications to go through. However, it is incredibly important to do all of these actions in order to even begin working on your home renovation. Failure to have these permits on hand when your project begins can result in heavy fees and even a demand for work to be stopped or taken down.

Protects Your Home Value

When homeowners decide that it is time to sell their homes, much of their pasts regarding the property will be scrutinized by both the buyer’s and seller’s real estate agents. This includes information regarding the status of the house and its adherence to local housing codes. That value you received from your agent might begin to decrease as you are forced to renovate certain areas of your home in order to get them up to code. This will no doubt cut into your profit margin.

Housing codes are meant to protect, not only yourself, but also those around you. This is why city and state officials are so invested in making sure everyone is following them. Having your home up to code when renovating your house is clearly the right path to take.

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