Mexico Beach, Florida

[Peter1469]

Mexico Beach, Florida

Hurricane Michael almost completely destroyed Mexico Beach.

However some houses remain and do not look like they suffered much damage. Florida's current building codes can protect structures from the winds. But not the storm surge. I assume these houses had something between them and the storm surge that helped.

Unfortunately for Floridians construction contractors tend to ignore the strict building codes and for whatever reason the state inspectors either don't catch it or ignore it.

[donttread]

Mexico Beach, Florida

Hurricane Michael almost completely destroyed Mexico Beach.

However some houses remain and do not look like they suffered much damage. Florida's current building codes can protect structures from the winds. But not the storm surge. I assume these houses had something between them and the storm surge that helped.

Unfortunately for Floridians construction contractors tend to ignore the strict building codes and for whatever reason the state inspectors either don't catch it or ignore it.

Maybe affordiability and greed?

[Peter1469]

Maybe affordiability and greed?

It will be interesting to see what the residents of Mexico Beach will do. FEMA is suppose to advise natural disaster victims that federal assistance can be used to either rebuild with safety improvements or to relocate (to a safer location). There seems to be allegations out there that FEMA is not telling people about the second option. I am not sure this is true or not. Although FEMA doesn't talk about this with reporters it is easy enough for reporters to interview victims and ask them what FEMA told them. I wonder why that has not happened.

[Chris]

Maybe affordiability and greed?

Maybe people shouldn't be so trusting of laws and regulations and codes.

[Peter1469]

Maybe people shouldn't be so trusting of laws and regulations and codes.

Or rather they should not be trusting that their construction contractor is following them. I bet they paid for a house built to code.

[Chris]

Or rather they should not be trusting that their construction contractor is following them. I bet they paid for a house built to code.

Hire an inspector like you would a used home or used car.

[Peter1469]

Hire an inspector like you would a used home or used car.

That is a prudent option.

A friend of mine had a house built and he put a couple of camcorders up so he could watch from work. Of course that isn't perfect to detect code violations. But he did see one of the workers knock something off the house with a piece of equipment and tried to cover up the damage. He showed the tape to the contractor and got it fixed for free.

[Chris]

That is a prudent option.

A friend of mine had a house built and he put a couple of camcorders up so he could watch from work. Of course that isn't perfect to detect code violations. But he did see one of the workers knock something off the house with a piece of equipment and tried to cover up the damage. He showed the tape to the contractor and got it fixed for free.

Yea, something I probably should have done. I got to watch them build but don't know enough about wiring and plumbing to catch sodme shortcuts they took.

I'm not saying codes don't help and that builders shouldn't follow them, just that we blind ourselves if we're too trusting of codes and such.

[Peter1469]

Yea, something I probably should have done. I got to watch them build but don't know enough about wiring and plumbing to catch sodme shortcuts they took.

I'm not saying codes don't help and that builders shouldn't follow them, just that we blind ourselves if we're too trusting of codes and such.

I hear you- and your suggestion to hire your own inspector is excellent. I would add that if your inspector finds something the government inspector missed, report it. There could be some sort of corruption involved- contractors paying off the government inspectors to look the other way.

[Tahuyaman]

Hiring your own inspector is an option if you are having a home built, but it’s not effective if you are purchasing a spec home as most code violations are now covered up.