House building regulations are statutory requirements that you must conform to if you intend to build a house. It is important to first acquaint yourself with building regulations and planning before you proceed to building a house. You can be in trouble with the law if you knowingly or unknowingly flout house building regulations.
Building a house is a no simple feat. There is a lot of things you must do before the actual construction begins. While you have to settle on the design, architect, and contractors, you also have to secure permits from various state or county governments.
Building regulations and planning can differ from state to state, but also there are some common regulations that apply everywhere. Always make sure that you first understand the regulations you have to adhere to and the permits you need before you start building your house. Here we look at the top house building regulations and planning.
Lot approval
Owning a piece of land or plot does not give you a guarantee that you can do any construction project on it. First, you need to get approval from authorities. Be careful not to spend money renovating a structure that stands on a property. While in the past, the structure might be legally erected, changes in the state building and construction regulations can make it illegal.
Make sure you go through property records to make sure that you are allowed to build a house on your piece of land. This information can be obtained from the city hall or county records office. From there, you can proceed to look for an architect to design your dream house. A good and qualified architect can assist you in many other things. You can get more information here on a reliable architectural firm that can help you maneuver all of those issues and enable you to implement your project.
Zoning
This is another part of building regulations you should always check out before proceeding with your construction project. Zoning laws explain how you can use your land and the type of house you can build on it. You can also obtain zoning information from the county halls, a planning board, or by conducting a simple search online. Once you find out that there are no other restrictions in place, then you can go ahead with your project. Remember to always obtain building permits before you start.
Local laws and pacts
There are a lot of rules, regulations, and restrictions that govern building of houses. You should always make sure that your building does not flout any rules or regulations no matter how small it seems. To be on the safe side, make sure that your project complies with local laws and pacts.
For instance, zoning laws can allow you to build a specific type of building, but local laws can introduce restrictions like size or height. If your zone has a homeowner’s association, your building must be in compliance with the agreed pacts. You can ask for a copy of the pact from the association leadership or the county assessor’s office.
Permits and plans
Whether you are building a new house or renovating an existing one, you have to obtain a permit from local authorities. On top of that, you do not proceed with the construction just because you have ready plans. You must first submit copies of the plans to the relevant local authorities for approval. The plans should cover information about measurements, the size, floor plans and even the materials used in construction. After approval and securing of the necessary permits, you can proceed to construction.
Those are just a few of the basic building regulations and planning requirements that you need to observe as you put up a house. You can ensure that you have no problems for flouting some legal requirements by hiring professionals like architects to guide you. The experts also save you costs such as material wastage, poor land planning, and so on.
