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For Immediate
Release
3/6/07
CONTACT:
Nate Silcox
(717) 787-6063
Regola Bill to Cut Unneeded Building
Code Mandate
Requirement could increase housing costs by $3,000
Even though Pennsylvania doesn't have to brace itself
for devastating natural disasters that are common
around coastal and earthquake-prone regions of the
country, a new building code requirement designed for
those areas could increase home building costs by as
much as $3,000 in Pennsylvania, according to Senator
Bob Regola, R-39th District.
That's why Senator Regola is introducing Senate Bill
437, legislation that would eliminate this new mandate
which took effect on January 1, 2007, under the
International Residential Code. The mandate requires
all new residential construction to have "anchor
bolts" when the foundation and retaining walls are
built.
"This is a national standard that should have only
been instituted for coastal states that are affected
by hurricane conditions and those states affected by
earthquakes," said Sen. Regola. "It is an excessive
requirement for Pennsylvania because the Commonwealth
has never had a documented case of failure under the
previous wall bracing standards. It could increase
the cost of an averaged size single family home in
Pennsylvania by up to $3,000. My legislation repeals
the new mandate and reinstates the previous standards
on foundation wall bracing."
The Concrete Foundation Association, the National
Association of Home Builders, the Portland Cement
Association, the National Concrete Masonry Association
and the National Ready Mix Concrete Association have
requested that the mandate be removed from
International Residential Code. According to the
Pennsylvania Builders Association, Georgia and Indiana
have removed this mandate and North and South Carolina
are planning on removing it as well.
Patrick Miller, President
of the Builders Association of Metropolitan
Pittsburgh, the local affiliate of PBA, applauded
Senator Regola for introducing the legislation.
"Pennsylvania's code officials and home builders are
in agreement that this is an unnecessary requirement
for residential construction and we thank the Senator
for his swift action to remove its requirements.
Adding to the confusion of this requirement is the
fact that it is only in the residential construction
standards and not mandated in the commercial section
of the code. Senate Bill 437 will address the costly
and unnecessary contradiction in the codes."
"This new mandate underscores the need for
Pennsylvania to take a comprehensive look at the
administration and enforcement of the Uniform
Construction Code," said Regola. "As the Chairman of
the Senate Local Government Committee, I plan to work
with the Senate Labor and Industry Committee to begin
this discussion."
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