Most used and favorite referance materials

General Inspection Topics General Inspection Discussion
1

What are your most used and favorite referance materials?

I use the Illustrated home book/pictures almost every inspection.

Prestons Guide

Code Check books

Nachi graphics

Residential Energy

Electrical Inspections of Existing Dwellings.

Certainteed Shingle Applicators Manual

Just curious to what others like, use.

2

  1. NACHI.org

  2. International Residential Code (IRC)

  3. IRC Commentary

  4. National Electric Code

  5. AFPA Deck Construction Guide

  6. Google

3

Title 25 California Code of Regulations
Title 24 California Building Code
Title 24 California Residential Code
Title 24 California Electrical Code
Title 24 California Plumbing Code
and so on, and so on. . .

and CodeCheck for quick reference.

4

Dictionary…thesuarus…Florida building codes.

5

  1. NACHI.org

  2. International Residential Code (IRC)

  3. National Electric Code

  4. Google

  5. My old Texbook, “ystems & Standards” Principalsof Home Inspection

  6. Code Check
    :cool:

6

IRC
Code Check

Memory :wink:

7

Code Check for fast reference… I keep the CA, NEC and the other applicable editions.

.pdfs of CA Building Codes (I’ve cut them down/out as well, by selecting page ranges)

I use illustrations as David mentions, but don’t refer to them as the by the time I’m using them, I already am reporting a defect.

A lot of what we run into is repetitive stuff, I simply use the references if a curve is thrown @ me.

Like recently… I was looking at a Master Bedroom addition, the aluminum/annealed window that would provide egress was about 30" from the edge of the pool coping and less than 5 feet from the waters edge… how many defects were there? Had to look at it for a minute and go… hey!?

8

Bonding right off the bat. :smiley:

9

2009 IRC. I just never admit it to newer inspectors for fear it will infer the wrong thing.

Most defects pointed out in a home inspection report are of systems and components installed to code. Most things wrong with the house you’re living in have nothing to do with whether it was built to code 20 years ago. Everything (installed perfectly to code) falls apart, wears out, blows away, leaks, rusts, breaks, etc. And it is these components that comprise the bulk of an inspection report.

It’s why InterNACHI had to produce and publish our own inspection books. ** Code violations are but a very small subset of what’s wrong out there.**

I’m ICC certified, but I kind of giggle when around my code official friends. They get to go out and look at brand new construction. Send them into a 30-year old home and they freeze. They have no clue.

10

This may be the most comprehensive list in the universe.

http://www.constructionweblinks.com/Industry_Topics/Building_Codes_and_Regulations/building_codes_and_regulations.html#A

11

Code Check complete is always in my vehicle.

PDF files of all Washington codes on my tablet, laptop and desk top with printed copies in the library.

One of my favorites though is the Illustrated Guide to the NEC. Great diagrams and each section has tests at the end for keeping sharp. List price is $95. Amazon sells them for about $70. Got mine on half.com for $30. I now have the 2002, 2005 and 2008 versions.