This handout has been prepared to provide general information to homeowners in the planning and construction of projects on their own residential property.
Construction projects are subject to building codes and zoning ordinances.
They work in conjunction with one another to protect the public. The purpose of regulating building codes is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life and limb, health, property and public welfare by regulating and controlling design, construction and quality of materials of structures within this jurisdiction. Zoning ordinances promote public health, safety, and general welfare by encouraging the most appropriate use of the land, protecting social and economic stability, and assuring orderly development. Most cities and counties in Washington have adopted these codes. These codes are technical in nature by virtue of the fact they are intended to regulate all types of construction from small residential additions to large commercial structures.