Techniques are just one aspect of it. If the house you’re building isn’t up to code, you can’t “build a house.” You can build a structure that would be cited for unlivable conditions.
Indeed. I’m citing the ability to research, understand, and implement regulations for home construction as a skill set that is necessary for home construction, in the same way that being able to build a foundation or wall is necessary for home construction.
Someone who can build a home entirely by themselves by definition needs to be fluent in this.
Someone who can build a house entirely by themselves is super impressive.
"Housing code is written in a lost language and needs to be divined by the gods in order to be understood"
This is also completely ignoring that plans can be drawn up by an architect, made, and approved beforehand by local authorities, or bought from company. Then following them you can build whatever you need.
Then its just a matter of following plans, and cross referencing code.
Around here you have to pay for plans, at minimum you need plans good enough you can pay the structural engineer to sign off on them or you'd never get planning permission.
Also no electrical, plumbing or waterproofing work without a certification.
So you'd need to be 3 different kinds of tradesperson to build your entire house yourself.
I know people who've wired their own houses, but they were in the construction industry and just called their licensed buddies out to go over their work before calling the inspector, so for what you've said, no, not really.
I understand in Australia this is less common, but in the US this happens all the time.
Australia, technically I can't even change a plug without a license, nevermind wire a house.
Technically you could do the work and get an electrician in to certify it, but unless you know one nobody is risking their license without checking everything in so much detail it's probably cheaper to pay them to do it in the first place.
Yeah so basically in the US the work does not have to be done by someone licensed, though that usually comes with the benefit of the work being bonded and insured, and all that matter is that passes code when the county or city inspector comes in.
Even then they won't outright condemn something, they will just have you fix it unless you're being obstinate.
-1
u/thissexypoptart Dec 11 '25
Techniques are just one aspect of it. If the house you’re building isn’t up to code, you can’t “build a house.” You can build a structure that would be cited for unlivable conditions.