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HARRY MENDENHATT executive vice president lumber Merchonls Associqtion of Northern Cqlifornio

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A MEETING of the Code and -cL Building Products Standards Committee was called for August 27 ud 28, in Washington, D.C. (In the future at the time this column is written, but in the past at the time of publication).

On discussing the building code problem with LMA lumber and building supply dealers, it appears that not all the problem lies at the national level. All dealers with whom the problem has been discussed agree that standardization is a necessity. Although there are basic guidelines established these are frequently misinterpretedstretched-disregarded or complicated at the local level.

As an example, a dealer in a complex of communities who depends to a large degree on contractor trade faces many problems. Each community has a building code difierent than the neighboring community, although the two are separated only by a boulevard. Visualize twenty communities all bordering one another with Mr. Building Supply Dealer in the center. A contractor asks for a bid on a construction project; the dealer, if he does his job thoroughly, must be familiar with the building codes of the community in which the project will be constructed regardless in which of the twenty communities it may occur.

Simple tasks undertaken by a homeowner often require a building permit. To place screening around a patio in most cases requires a building permit. Before the building permit is issued, the foundation and support of the patio must meet specifications for an enclosed room. If there is anything consistent about building codes it is their inconsistency. A problem arising after the long dry period of little construction money is the fact that now it is difficult to get building permits approved without a long delay. This is caused, state the officials, by a backlog. Money has been committed for construction, contractors have been awarded jobs, but now another snag is created by backlogs.

It is apparent that the average homeowner is complete ly dumbfounded by a review of the building codes. He or she has difficulty in ordering lumber other than just saying, 'oI need some wood,o' A homeowner is certainly not expected to know grades and dimensions. At dealers' home improvement centers these problems are worked out. A conclusion one may reach from investigating the prob. lems of both the homeowner and contractor is that standardized building codes are required at the local level and should not be altered or revised at the discretion of the community.

Additionally, there should be a certain area of home improvements that are permitted to be made by the homeowner without filing for a building permit.

First call Hobbs Wall for wholesale Redwood and Redwood split products, Douglas Fir and White Fir, Ponderosa and Sugar Pine, Hemlock and Cedar lumber. Depend on us to follow through with the right grades at the right prices!