CODE: Listen to Hammurabi

I have been observing the development of building codes here in Kootenai County and frankly I am disappointed the majority of commissioners voted to allow owners of land in the county to avoid building under any building code. They need only go to the county and opt out of following the code. They apply for a permit, fill out some paper work that allows them to build as they please with no code inspections. However; the State of Idaho electrical code and plumbing code still requires state inspectors. They receive no certificate of occupancy.

I agree with the Realtors that building codes should stay in effect. You have no idea what you will end up with, including no mandated snow load requirement. The future owner will have no idea what they either inherited or bought. Their safety is not assured.

The first known building codes were written by a Babylonian King named Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). And now we have none. Real strange. We got our first building codes 3,788 years ago. There must be a reason!

1. If a builder has built a house for a man, and finished it, he shall be paid two shekels of silver. 2. If a builder has built a house for a man, and has not made his work sound and the house he has built has fallen and caused the death of its owner, that builder shall be put to death. 3. If the owner’s son is killed, the builder’s son shall be put to death. 4. If the slave of the owner is killed, the builder shall give a slave to the owner of the house. 5. If the builder has caused loss of goods, he shall render back whatever he has destroyed. Moreover, because he did not make sound the house he built, and it fell, at his own cost he shall rebuild the house that fell.

JAMES CROWE

Coeur d’Alene

Past President North Idaho Building Contractors Assoc.

Past President of Idaho State Home Builders

Past Vice-President of National Association of Home Builders