Hi Eileen, Just to add to what Dale said, you can also call HUD or the FHA, and they can direct you to the legislation, and or some downloadable pamphlets you can get that will tell you what your building needs to be up to code, especially, as it pertains to their programs and your particular area.
As you can imagine, code requirements are different for every part of the continental United States, as Florida is subjected to violent winds and rain, and parts like Texas and Arizona are subjected to extremely dry weather and arid conditions. Still yet, the northern states are subjected to heavy snowfalls and icy conditions that would require ice shields on the roof and extra insulation. Another consideration are the fire codes. The codes for fire insurance are dependant on the type of house you own, for example, if it is fully detached or semi-detached, you must have a particular fire barrier between the two homes in a semi-detached unit, as opposed to a fully detached unit where the likelihood of a spreading fire to a neighbouring house is not as likely. In any case, there are several codes that you have to think about, not just the building codes, but also the fire codes when it comes to building requirements. I should also note that the FHA and HUD also have a mandate that homeowner's insurance be purchased for any house that it insures through their programs, so if an insurance carrier won't insure you, this goes a long way to getting approved for a HUD or FHA loan, so there's another reason your friend may not have been approved. I think the suggestion that was given before about finding out why your friend was denied would go a long way to you understanding why she was denied and what you have to look forward to, should you require something of that nature. Like I said, you should go straight to the horse's mouth and find out what the codes are that they might require. If you need some numbers to contact them, namely the FHA and HUD, just let me know what state you live in, and I might be able to give you a contact person you can speak with. I have had numerous dealings with these two government organizations, and it all boils down to who you get to talk to in the office. Some will know what the heck they're doing, and others will just be there because they aren't any good at their job, but they can't be let go. Grin. Anyway, let us know what you decide or find out, as I'm sure others might benefit from your research. Victor Gouveia To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
