Was this house built to code?
I recently did an inspection in Jefferson County, AL. This home was less than 10 years old but there were items that really seemed odd. While a home inspection is not a code inspection, there are times when an inspector has to wonder if permits were pulled when the house was built. The following items led to me to recommend that the buyer contact the local jurisdiction to see if permits were pulled for the new construction.
1, None of the floor joists that fastened to the center beam of the house used joist hangers. They were just nailed into place
2. Two of the support piers under the house were not centered correctly to hold up floor beams. The beams were so far off, that wood was laid on top of the pier to support the beam.
3. The kitchen had counter top outlets that were not GFIC. Modern electric code requires that all kitchen counter top outlets be GFIC.
4. Wrong type of screws were used to fasten the front of the electric panel to the box.
The defects listed above led me to believe that this house never passed an inspection from the building authorities.
