International Residential Code (IRC)

Building codes are regulations that set out the standards to which buildings and other structures must conform. The International Residential Code (IRC) is one of the codes established in the US by the International Code Council (ICC) and is applied by most of the country’s jurisdictions, as well as in some other countries internationally (where it may be amended to reflect local conditions or local legislation).

It stipulates that anyone who intends to build, alter, repair, renovate or demolish a building or structure to which the code applies, must apply for and obtain the required building permit.

The IRC applies to new one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses which are no taller than three storeys. It is intended to ensure efficient and flexible building designs that protect health and safety and encourage the use of technological advances.

It covers all aspects of construction in a single code, including; building, plumbing, mechanical services, energy conservation, fuel gas and electrical provisions. It offers both a prescriptive approach and a performance approach to determining compliance.

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