MyFloridaCode.com

Hey Eric;I could not agree with you more. In most major cities outside Fl, this is exactly what is done. I applaud you for  both your education and dedication. Don't despair just keep your head up high and everything else will fall into place. Fl. will eventually catch up with the rest of the country,so contractors and home owners will be upset at first   but in the end there will be better homes that we all can be proud of.thanks Keith----- Original Message -----From: codetalk-request at myfloridacode.comDate: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 3:53 pmSubject: CodeTalk Digest, Vol 56, Issue 5To: codetalk at myfloridacode.com> Send CodeTalk mailing list submissions to> 	codetalk at myfloridacode.com> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit> 	http://myfloridacode.com/mailman/listinfo/codetalk> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to> 	codetalk-request at myfloridacode.com> > You can reach the person managing the list at> 	codetalk-owner at myfloridacode.com> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific> than "Re: Contents of CodeTalk digest..."> > > Today's Topics:> >   1. To all my professional associates (Eric Kuritzky)> > > -----------------------------------------------------------------> -----> > Message: 1> Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:51:56 -0400> From: Eric Kuritzky > Subject: [Florida Code Talk] To all my professional associates> To: "Building Officials Association of Florida, Inc."> 	,	"codetalk at myfloridacode.com"> 	> Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Soap box time....> > I am amazed at how, when I suggest architects and engineers > should be a> required part of the residential design and document process, > fully knowing> the exceptions in codes and statutes, how bizarrely defensive > everyone gets,> as if the only thing I?m trying to push is some income source > for architects> or engineers, or that I?m trying to put residential designer out of> business.  I work with some excellent residential designers.  So many> participants out there seem to think that Hurricane Andrew, > which set in> motion the most radical code changes in the country, meant oh so > little to> residential construction, as if I?m totally ignorant.> > Please.  > > The residential exemption is purely political.> > And this repeated mantra that architects are ignorant of the > codes, which> justifies their exclusion from residential construction.  No one ever> suggests the less than qualified contractors or municipal > representativesthat are equally represented in the ranks of  the > ?less than knowledgeable?> construction  professionals.> > Please.  > > No branch of this industry is without it?s weak links.> > But those of us who are tested, educated and licensed know that > there is a> regulatory board or two, a national licensing and code agency or > three,that we ultimately must answer to, besides our own > conscience.  Our ability> to practice what we do is subject to scrutiny, and can readily > be taken> away.> > If I might be a bit of a smart ass for moment....(really, just this> once?)......architects and engineers don?t make the 15%-20% that many> builders make on homes (yes, when the economy is ticking away as > it used> to...no one is making squat right now, including architects, so > I don?t want> to hear about it.  Homeowners all too often try to build their > own home to> avoid that 15%-20% markup.  Stupid as they are.).  On the best, > biggestcustom homes, they might make 10%.  And they assume > remarkable liability, as> we all are.> > At what point does adding a layer of protection for a few > thousand dollars> not make sense in the construction of the biggest investment anyone> makes....their HOME.> > Should all those other little code requirements, which all cost > something,be routinely excluded from homes?  Better windows, > doors? Wind resistant> exteriors? Smoke detectors? Arc fault or GFI?  Egress windows in > bedrooms?> History has shown that the industry has not collapsed from the ever> increasing costs placed on construction from ever more demanding > codes.  No> one stops buying homes.  No one stops putting 60 inch plasma > TV?s and Ford> 350 dually?s in their garage, or bass boats, or jet skis, or > anything else.> Yet everyone yells about the sky falling.> > But our responsibility is the security and safety of that home > and it?s> contents, whatever it might be.> > And if architects and engineers are so ignorant of the codes, > why not> eliminate them from all construction, and let those wonderful > commercialcontractors design hospitals, hotels, city halls, > commercial buildings, etc?> Why?  Because we actually do know what we?re doing more than we > get credit> for.> > But we are no more perfect than everyone else.  There are > miscreants on all> professions, even architects and engineers.   I have seen too > many building> departments approve plan stamping by engineers of the most > offensive sets of> plans. I?m reviewing a suit now on a multi-story condo project, > the plan> approval of which should not have happened. But we are the > first, and> usually the last line of defense.  Once the building department > signs the> CO, and the contractor?s company folds, it?s usually the > architects and> engineers left standing to face the problems.> > But I digress, as usual.> > Those that know me should appreciate that my interest is in the > public and> the quality of my own profession.  I prepare better than average > plans, I> consult with building departments, I respect and work with > contractors, and> my obligation as a member of the Board of Architecture has > required me to> punish far too many of my own profession to not comprehend all > that is> really associated with what we do.> > So why should homes be excluded?  Really, why?> > And $$$$ is not the answer.> > Thank you for your indulgence. I?ll go back to being > quiet....for a while.> > > > > > -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: > http://myfloridacode.com/pipermail/codetalk/attachments/20100414/2f5dc86d/attachment.html > -------------- next part --------------> A non-text attachment was scrubbed...> Name: not available> Type: image/jpeg> Size: 58150 bytes> Desc: not available> Url : > http://myfloridacode.com/pipermail/codetalk/attachments/20100414/2f5dc86d/attachment.jpe > > ------------------------------> > _______________________________________________> CodeTalk mailing list> CodeTalk at myfloridacode.com> http://myfloridacode.com/mailman/listinfo/codetalk> > > End of CodeTalk Digest, Vol 56, Issue 5> ***************************************> 
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