The review will help the home builder become familiar with the administrative, building and energy conservation provisions of the 2003 International Residential Code which serve to help ensure the health and safety of occupants, as well as protecting the owner's investment. This guide covers legal requirements, location, ventilation, exits, stairs, foundations, drainage, fireplaces and much more!

Get twice the satisfaction of a job well done by complying with requirements and securing a dwelling of sound and durable construction with the Fundamentals of Dwelling Construction, based on Chapters 1-11 of the 2003 International Residential Code.

From the Preface
This publication is for the convenience of the residential builder and/or homeowner who is interested in building or altering a structure in conformance with the International Residential Code (IRC). The fundamental review presented here will help the builder and owner become familiar with the administrative, building, and energy conservation principles of the International Residential Code. This publication does not cover the plumbing, mechanical, and electrical system provisions of the International Residential Code.

The standards of safe construction that are set out in the International Residential Code are founded primarily upon health and safety but will, at the same time, protect the owner's investment. By becoming familiar with the information in this publication, the builder and owner will have a better understanding of the International Residential Code, allowing the double satisfaction of complying with the law and also securing a dwelling of sound and durable construction.

The subject matter pertains to detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings (i.e., townhouses) not more than three stories in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures. The building official should be consulted for information on different types of construction. The sections and tables referred to are found in the 2003 edition of the International Residential Code.

Parenthetical references following the various paragraphs of this publication refer to the section of the International Residential Code in which the requirement may be found.

Table of Contents
Legal Requirements: Scope; Building Permit; Information on Plans and Specifications; Modifications; Areas Prone to Flooding; Inspections; Certificate of Occupancy; Service Utilities; Board of Appeals; Site Address. Location on the Lot. Separation of Dwelling Units in a Two-Family Dwelling. Townhouses. Light, Ventilation, Sanitation and Heating: Windows and Ventilation; Stairway Illumination; Habitable Space Definition; Room Dimensions; Ceiling Heights; Sanitation; Heating. Safety Glazing. Smoke Alarms. Means of Egress: Doors; Landings; Hallways. Stairways: Rise and Run; Profile; Width; Winders; Spiral Stairs; Illumination; Under Stair Protection; Headroom; Handrails; Walking Surface. Guards. Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings. Garages and Carports. Loads, Design and General Framing: Foundations; Slope; Frost Protected Shallow Foundations; Expansive Soils; Foundation Walls; Dampproofing Foundation Walls; Retaining Walls; Drainage and Foundation Elevation. Floor Construction - Wood: Foundation Ventilation and Access; Drilling and Notching; Fastening. Wall Construction - Wood: Wood Wall Framing; Wall Bracing; Alternate Braced Wall Panels; Foundation Cripple Studs; Fireblocking. Roof Framing - Wood: Ceiling Joists; Allowable Rafter Spans; Cutting and Notching; Framing of Openings; Wood Trusses. Floor Framing - Steel: Floor Construction. Wall Framing - Steel. Roof Construction - Steel. Roof Sheathing. Masonry Fireplaces: General; Chimneys and Fireplaces; Fireplace Walls; Smoke Chambers; Firebox Dimensions; Hearth and Hearth Extensions; Fireplace Clearances. Factory-Built Fireplaces. Fireplace Exterior Air Supply. Chimneys: General; Termination; Flue Lining; Wall Thickness; Seismic Reinforcing; Seismic Anchorage; Factory-Built Chimneys. Weather Protection: Weather Resistive Barriers on Studs; Flashing; Exterior Wall Coverings. Veneered Walls: Height and Thickness; Vertical Loads; Support; Anchorage and Other Details. Plastering, Wallboard and EIFs: Plaster - Interior; Plaster - Exterior; Gypsum Board; EIFs. Interior Paneling. Roof Coverings: Asphalt Shingles; Wood Shingles; Wood Shakes. Valley Flashing: Asphalt Shingles; Wood Shingles; Wood Shakes. Attic Access and Ventilation: Access; Ventilation. Energy Conservation. Plumbing, Mechanical and Electrical Systems. Tables and Figures.