[Boatanchors] New Codes

[rbethman]

Jim,

I'd hate to build a new house!

The code has changed SO MUCH since this house of mine was built, that it 
would become a nightmare to meet the code!

They are NOW requiring 6" walls, pre-laminated materials for headers to 
windows and doors, pre-laminated beams for the rafter/trusses, and a 
whole lot of steel strapping.

This is why I haven't converted the roofed over screened in part of my 
deck to a closed in living area.

When I added the deck in 1993, I went BEYOND the code for the vertical 
supports, I used 6"X6"s when code said 4"X4"s, my beams are 2"X10" 
doubled, one on each side of the verticals, and ALL joists were 2"X8"s.

My neighbor had his deck with a Pergola, converted into a living space.  
It cost him well over $35K!

I built my 500Sq.Ft. deck for about $5K.  The walls of the screened in 
portion uses 4"X4"s for the walls.  The top is a box beam construction 
of plywood on each side of the 4"X4" top 2 ft.

I used a 2"X12" center beam for the roof, and used 2"X6" rafters, and 
there are 4 4"X4" interspersed, and nailed along the rafter/joist roof 
section.

There is NO sense in additions to the original house built in 1979, 
suddenly having to have additions built for Hurricane force winds!  
Especially since we are in Virginia, and are 35 miles from water - the 
Chesapeake Bay!

Bob - N0DGN

On 11/9/2011 10:36 AM, Jim Wilhite wrote:
> I just built a new house and what irked me was not only the GFCI but the
> Arc Fault breakers for the bedrooms.  New to the code I was told and
> very expensive.
>
> After switching to 3 wire grounded plugs for everything now some
> products are going back to the two wire.  When will we ever learn.
>
> Jim/W5JO
>