BUILDINGREGULATIONS: A SELF-HELP GUIDE FOR THE OWNER-BUILDER

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There is no option not to submit plans but there is also no requirrement that drawings be prepared by in engineer or architect. But that phrase "as the building official mayrequire" can be used to demand very precise drawings from you.

The SBC is the most liberal and most helpful to the owner-builder. Section 105.3(a) of this code gives the building inspector the discretion of whether to require plans at all. The plans—if demanded shall be "drawn to scale with sufficient clarity and detail to indicate the nature and character of the work but do not have to the signed by an engineer or architect. (§ 105.3 [c] does say that all structures more than three stories in height or with in area of more than 5,000 square feet have to the designed by an engineer or architect, but specifically exempts one- and two-family dwelling,", from this requirement.)

The UBC—as might be expected—is different. Two sets of plans and specs are required with every building permit application. § 301(c). That section goes on: "The building o ffi cial may require plans and specifications to be prepareddesigned by anengineer or architect licensed by the (state topractice as such. "There's no standard by which the building inspector is governed as to the circumstances that he can demand engineered plans ... He may as a matter of practice always ask for them and the owner-builder will be at his mercy and have to unnecessarily add to his expenses and pay all architect or engineer to prepare the plans.

But believe it or not, the UBC does have in exception to § 301(c) which can be used by the owner-builder. The exception states that plans and specs need not be submitted—"when authorized by the Building 0fficial" —for one-story conventional wood-stud construction not exceeding 600 square feet, or small and unimportant work. So if you re building small enough (or if you build each room of your dwelling separate from the others, with no single room over 600 square feet), you might try to take advantage of this provision.

The Dwelling Code—§ R-110 has followed the liberal language of the SBC and gives the building inspector discretion as to whether or not to require plans at all. (The Dwelling Code is not very detailed oil administration and that's why I have not quoted from its provisions up) to this point. For example, § R-109 just states that you must get a permit and pay a fee set by the building inspector ... there are no other regulations.)

If you have been reading carefully, you'll have noticed that the plans submitted under some of these codes "shall be of sufficient clarity" to indicate the nature of the work to be performed. Nowhere in any of these codes is "clarity" or " sufficient clarity" defined or is it stated to whom these plans shall be sufficiently clear. This language must mean I submit, that the plans have to be clear enough so that the building inspector call understand them ... and this leads me to the topic I'll cover in this series next installment.

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