City Codes: Part One, understanding residential building codes

The Salem News sat down with Jarred Brown, Salem’s building inspector, to discuss the purpose and philosophy surrounding building codes.

Brown explained that he’s not interested in getting into peoples’ business any more than he has to in order to do his job as an inspector. Brown said that he thinks building codes are important for making sure a project’s outcome matches its intention.

Brown pointed out there’s a common misunderstanding about building codes and their purposes. Many believe codes add extra steps, making building a more arduous process. But according to Brown, the reality is that “code is the minimum way that you could possibly build something and it still be safe,” he said.

“Most contractors build way beyond code,” said Brown. “Code is the most basic rules to make it safe and livable,” he said.

According to Brown, “You don’t have to be a certified contractor to build anything [in the City of Salem], but you do have to pass inspection.” According to Brown, the same applies for remodeling.

There are codes that govern the placement of a lot of different things—one example is if someone was installing a fence on their property. There are requirements about how far it needs to be from a roadway and whether or not the fence is blocking line of sight on a nearby road, or if the fence might make it difficult for emergency services to access the front door to a home, as well as a whole slew of other factors that may vary from location to location due to varying factors.

Also, on certain things, such as window placement, there may be multiple ways people can adjust their building plans in order to keep with city code.

Brown tells contractors and people working on their homes to collaborate with him in an effort to complete goals while prioritizing safety. For him, safe and ‘up to code’ are synonymous.

Almost anything building-related requires a building permit. According to Brown, practically the only things you don’t need to get a permit for are painting and carpet—everything else is pretty much safe to guess that you probably do need a permit. If no permit is necessary, Brown said that he won’t make people get one.

He said that it’s always better to check in with him before building, because if something did require a permit, the project avoids a fine. However, if a project isn’t up to code, it may have to be redone, costing homeowners and contractors both additional time and money.

Brown said that when it comes to codes, he references the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC), which is the set of safety guidelines adopted by the city—he also has to reference any other Salem specific codes adopted by the board of aldermen.

City code can be accessed easily on the web at ecode360.co, and the IRC is publicly available through various avenues.

Brown also told The Salem News that he’s happy to answer any questions community members may have about codes.