The game remains the same ..

[Tagger]

New inspector ,, I have 30" doors front and back . I want to enlarge the back door to 32" to make it easier getting appliances in . Homies has a lot of pre hung steel doors 32 x 78 ,, $188.00 (78" ?? cottage area ) ..I can't use this door Inspector says I need the high impact hurricane door $900.00 .. Right now I have a crappy wood door with 2 butts screwed directly to 2X4 ,, no casing .. leave that alone I guess .. . Met the old owner and neighbors .. They said .. "We knew you weren't from around here .. You pulled a building permit " ..

[afterhours]

building permit for a rear door???? who woulda thunk it???? i guess we gotta watch out for those backdoor hurricanes....

[BigFish]

Building inspector has no legal right to force you to use a particular door??? Buy the door you want and hang it!!!

[nightfighter]

Yeah, that doesn't sound right..... Ask him to show you in the code book.

[Hookedagain]

Had a similar issue in Newport a while ago. Any project within a certain distance from the water has a different set of codes. Had to anchor the house down differently, had to use hurricane ties everywhere and had to use high wind glass. 90 mph I believe. It was crazy the things that were different from building inland. Added 40% to the cost of the house.

[BigFish]

Different codes for a back door??? I doubt that! Maybe for insulation or frame construction but a homeowner has the right to install any exterior door they choose! Doors are functional and esthetic not structural!

[Tagger]

yup different codes if you live with in a mile of the coast line ,, aka FEMA . Even Sheds need hurricane clips ,cables anchoring down .. He's coming by Tuesday . Old inspector walked through and called me out on the beams .. 4 sets of plans later to an engineering firm , notarized, stamped and submitted, I guess my rough framing was never signed off . No permit , just receipt for it in the window back then , Took like a month and a half to get the actual permit .. Just got a permit for 2 doors and a window ,, got that with in the same week from new regime .. I will not be looking for another of these houses as a fixer upper ..

[afterhours]

you know gov't is out of control when they dictate which back door you must use on YOUR house...

[ed morini]

While it is quite evident that the codes have changed recently, I wouldn't necessarily blame the govt. The insurance companies are the culprits here. After Andrew in Florida, and Katrina the insurance companies have been looking for ways to limit their liabilities. Code changes were made to strengthen up the exterior weak points...windows and doors and garages and decks. Originally the Cape and Islands, and Mass coastal areas were designated as 120 mph wind areas requiring expensive windows and doors and framing ties. This was later changes to 110 mph and there is an allowable storm panel provision to protect regular windows. Here in Holliston the wind rating is 100 mph so there are no issues. The building code does require one means of egress to be 3'-0" and an inspector could make the case that if you replace the door that is sub par then a three foot door should be installed. I do know that in the 7th edition, code any work done to a means of egress required a permit. I don't know if this provision made it into the 8th edition but I'll look Changing a door size to a larger one would require a permit anyway

Ed

[BigFish]

Again I state...doors and windows are not structural and surely will be the least point of concern if an appropriate "Hurricane" strikes! When was the last time Onset had a Hurricane again?????

[ed morini]

Windows and doors are considered structural in high wind areas 120 mph. A breach in these areas will cause extensive damage to the home and in some cases cause the structure itself to be compromised. Windows are tested by the 2x4 cannon..ie. a 2x4 shot at the glass a t predetermined speed, regular windows get one shot to pass,, 120 mph windows the glass and membrane must remain intact after many impacts. The 120 mph window is very expensive and the argument by the Cape builders was that the cost were prohibitive and the window could be protected by a storm panel the code was subsequently changed and the storm panels were allowed. Doors because they are a means of egress are another matter as there are many styles and glass configurations to contend with so are engineered to different testing.
Things have changed, windows and doors are components of structural systems and are treated accordingly and subject to code requirements. In addition in the event of a loss to a home, the first thing the insurance companies look for is work performed without a permit and if found that is grounds to deny the claim. I don't agree with some of the regulations, but I can see the reasons for the.. Big box sales people that don't know what they are selling, big box installers that are incompetent, workmen that are incompetent and homeowners that are all to willing to fore go the permit process and put their home in jeopardy for the sake of a couple of bucks and a trip to the town hall.
The office of inspections should be a resource center center not a punitive exercise.. if it isn't then complain.

Sorry for the rant

ed

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Again I state...doors and windows are not structural and surely will be the least point of concern if an appropriate "Hurricane" strikes! When was the last time Onset had a Hurricane again?????

hurricane Bob
it wrecked a lot of boats and homes

you can state your opinion Bigfish, that doors are not structural, but the fact is, they are part of the structure.


Tagger, ya bought a sugar shack, you would think they'd be happy you are improving it but I guess it's all because of liability. too bad too, because even when you buy a house that's been inspected, stuff slips thru the cracks from back when it was new, and the homeowner winds up with crappy construction shortcuts anyway sometimes.

[Tagger]

These high impact doors may be required by code with in a mile of the coast , But try finding one .. Wife called all over the cape ,, special order .. Standard steel wood case doors are still the norm in stock .

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Again I state...doors and windows are not structural and surely will be the least point of concern if an appropriate "Hurricane" strikes! When was the last time Onset had a Hurricane again?????

Bob was bad ,, but 1938 was the worst .. Houses floated right off there blocks ,, Old timer told me there was a guy who charged $100.00 a house to tie a rope to it and tow it back to the blocks .. That's why a lot of these houses are crooked on the blocks .

[Grapenuts]

Homeowner acting as "contractor"....contractors have to know the codes....building inspector isn't there to play teacher, just to inforce the codes.The days of "sure use this or do this are long gone.

[tysdad115]

Pretty sure I just drove by the house Ed, dropped someone off down that way. It looks nice, it will all be worth the aggrivation some day.