Oak Ridge News Letter
Construction Code Trends
Oak Ridge construction is in our 33rd year of building. Over the years, we have seen many faces to design and construction trends. In the earlier years, house design and construction fundamentally reflected the demand of the time which was primarily small vacation homes. There were no codes to speak of so our personal standard of quality quickly set the mark as a leading builder in the surrounding Pocono area. Today is no different. Here at Oak Ridge we still uphold the highest level of quality and attention to detail.
Over the years name few changes. The CABO code governed many jurisdictions for several years with few updates. Generally the code standards remained unchanged. In 2003 the International Residential Code was introduced and mandated by all states to adopt and it became the local townships and boroughs responsibility to enforce it. This required the individual authorities to either train and certify within or contract with a third party agency to perform all permit reviews and field inspections. Since then, the IRC was updated in 2006 and again in 2009. The purpose of the code was to standardize building and construction methods for the entire United States. With this code standardization come higher industry standards resulting in improved materials and construction.
The recent adoption of the 2009 IRC has again brought up the level of standard in construction. In our area, authorities are enforcing most of these new code standards. As of August 1st, structural Wall Bracing methods are now required to resist wind loads. As of January 1, 2011, all single family homes will require fire sprinkler systems.
As a custom home builder we are pleased to see the industry changes and have learned to embrace them positively. However, with this onset of improvements comes increased time and cost for the homeowner. And with our current economy , adding additional expense to building is taking us in a less then desirable direction.
In light of these industry and economic challenges, we're beginning to see a positive trend of activity. Building materials and labor rates are at an all time low. Many lending institutions are providing increased incentives encouraging growth once again.
So if you are thinking of building a new home or adding onto your current home, now is the time to move forward. Take a moment and give us a call. We have many examples of homes we've built here in the surrounding community so feel free to contact our office at 570-646-8082 and visit one of these homes today.
What is the Oak Ridge Difference?
It starts with 33 years of dedication to the principle that quality and customer satisfaction come first. But it is also evident in the following;
- Two generation family business
- No sales people, talk directly to the builder.
- Low keyed, prompt, courteous reply to all your building inquires.
- Professional handling of all prints, surveys, approvals, permits and mortgage processing.
- Keep the owner informed at all times as to progress of the project.
- Full, daily supervision of the work.
- Adherence to schedules.
- Selecting the best mechanics possible.
- Proud of our work, willing to stand behind it.
- Written contracts and change orders.
- Fully insured for liability and workers compensation.
- Full Architectural design service available.
