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Building Codes

Clinton J. Ford has over thirty-five years of experience working with code standards in both commercial and residential settings.

Some of the services provided are:

  • analysis of code changes
  • past applicability of codes to structure and personal injury claims
  • elevation of applicable code violations
  • determination of code compliance.

Building codes are a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for structures such as residential dwellings and commercial buildings. The main purpose of building codes is to protect public health, safety, and general welfare as they relate to the construction, occupancy, and use of these buildings and structures.

Building Codes were mandated during the 1970’s construction boom and were adopted locally, however, because of a series of natural disasters in the 1990’s coupled with the complexity of building design, lead to the adoption of the 1998 Florida Statute 553 to create a single state Building Code. The Florida Building code now supersedes all other local building codes and is updated every three years.

The Florida Building Code is based on the national model building codes such as the International Building Code (IBC) and national consensus standards by organizations such as the National Roofing Contractors Association, Gypsum Association, and many others. The Florida Building Code has been amended out of other model codes and consensus standards for specific needs of the State primarily due to seasonal Hurricane activity.

The Florida Building code is composed of seven main volumes they are as follows: FBC for Buildings, FBC for Residential Dwellings, FBC for Fuel Gas, the FBC for Plumbing, FBC for Mechanical, FBC for Existing Buildings, and then we have the FBC Test Protocols for High-Velocity Hurricane Zones.

Building codes are intended to be applied by real estate developers, contractors and subcontractors, manufacturers of building products and materials, insurance companies, facility managers, tenants, architects, engineers, and building inspectors, and others.