Building codes are often shaped by lobbying from publicly traded companies.
As an architect, I frequently hear stories about renovation challenges related to local building departments, zoning codes, and the requirement for a professional to "sign off" on plans. Many people also claim that "architects and engineers over-design everything"—a notion we strongly disagree with.
A recent New York Times article highlights a critical issue: elected officials in North Carolina recently voted against adopting updated building codes and practices. This short-term victory for tourism—allowing homes with views to be built without following best practices—has led to severe consequences, not only for tourism and property but also for human lives.
During his campaign, JD Vance emphasized the need to deregulate building codes to encourage housing development, arguing that excessive regulations raise costs and delays, ultimately harming affordability for homeowners and renters.
The tragedy in North Carolina serves as a stark reminder of the real consequences. In my view, homes being destroyed is a housing crisis, too. Read all about it.
Case Study— steep slope design.
Clawson Architects together with Hirsh Design Group (Landscape Architects) and Casey and Keller Engineering worked together to improve the site drainage on this property and improve the water management on site and for the community.
Working together with Landscape Architects and Civil Engineers, we designed water management systems for this previously developed site. The original home was taking on water and mold became a problem. We were retained to create a new design that resolved the existing site drainage issues. Besides mold mitigation, the driveway was too steep and narrow and down right unsafe. Both issues required engineering the site with regards to the steep slope zoning requirements. The new design uses the existing foundation and resulted in a site design solution that improved not just the site but the community. Clawson Architects and their trusted colleagues are never designing to the minimum standard. I assure you, it is not “over designed”— it is designed for sustainability, integrity, comfort the the SAFETY of ALL.
Before — Existing site created water issues within the home and dangerous driveway conditions.
New Design— Manages runoff /water on the site, and softens the slope slowing down the water, and easing the slope of the driveway. Additional landscaping/vegetation assist in stabilizing the hillside.
Yes, there was a significant cost to the homeowner. They had to hire a professional team to engineer the site and navigate the time and expense of requesting a variance to disturb more soil than typically permitted. However, this disturbance ultimately improved drainage for the site, benefiting not only the homeowner but also the surrounding neighbors and the community as a whole. Responsible building is a shared responsibility for everyone involved. And let’s not forget: lives were lost in North Carolina.