House Fix It Blog

Homeowners Education Association is pleased to announce that we are now a reseller of the highly regarded Code Check™ series of books. The Code Check™ books are written for inspectors, design professionals, contractors as well as do-it-yourselfers.

The original Code Check™ was designed by a building inspector, Redwood Kardon, for inspectors to carry with them while on the job site. They are a condensed guide to the most commonly cited code violations encountered by those in the field. Soon after its publication, it became a standard for contractors, do-it-yourselfers, home inspectors and anyone involved in the safe construction of residences. The books are designed to be an easy reference in deciphering the complex and sometimes tedious world of codes. Designed in flip-chart format they are laminated, spiral bound and use illustrations and tables to explain the new codes. They are durable and will stand up to weather conditions so you can count on them surviving from job to job or until the next generation of code changes come around.

The Code Check California 5^th Edition is a must have for contractors, inspectors and homeowners. The convenient flip-chart format guides you easily to the relevant sections to explain the new codes. Code Check California provides you with the most up to date changes in the California code. Presented in clear, straightforward language, reinforced by user-friendly illustrations. It’s a great way to make sure every detail is right the first time, saving you time, money and the frustration of redoing completed work. The 2007 California codes will be in effect until 2011 and this book includes relevant information on building, plumbing, energy, mechanical and electrical codes in California. The book includes California amendments to the model codes. Significant code changes are tracked through the book and summarized in a special two-page section at the end.

The 2007 California Building Code (CBC) is unique. Most states use the International Residential Code (IRC) as a model, with the exception of California which has a residential code based on the 2006 International Building Code. Users of the California Codes must wade through over 1,600 pages of material to find the residential provisions. Even then, Californians must purchase costly additional standards referenced (but not printed) in the California Codes. Fortunately, Code Check has created an inexpensive guide that cuts to the heart of these issues. Code Check Building for California provides a quick-reference summary of the California Building Code, and includes a 4-page table that summarizes the changes and compares the new codes to the previous (2001) CBC. There are many significant changes in the new code, particularly in areas such as exiting, stairs, building setbacks, siding, and fire separation. Unique illustrations help to clarify these changes and bring you up to date. The significant portions of ASTM and ACI standards are summarized in Code Check, saving the expense of several hundred dollars worth of additional codes and standards.

Redwood Kardon, who devised and wrote the first Code Check, is a former electrician and inspector for the City of Oakland, California. Code Check Electrical 5^th Edition is a field guide to the common issues in residential electrical installations. It is based on both the 2008 National Electrical Code, the most widely use electrical code in the United States and the International Residential Code. It is illustrated by Paddy Morrissey with some great diagrams, charts and checklists and a sprinkling of Ben Franklin throughout the book.

Code Check 5^th Edition is for code questions outside of California. The primary reference document for this guide is the 2006 edition of the International Residential Code for One to Two-Family Dwellings, published by the International Code Council.

You can order four of the Code Check book series online through our www.Housefixit.com web store. We are happy to bring the Code Check series to those interested in building better homes and buildings.