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The home building industry is dedicated to the safety of the communities in which they build.
Home builders have a vested interest in the safety of their products both during the building process and after the house becomes someone's home. Whenever changes are proposed to the building codes that govern how homes are constructed in each community, the home builder acts as a consumer advocate. It's the home builder's role to make sure that these proposals are necessary and that they are cost effective before they are adopted so that homes stay affordable. For each $1,000 added to the price of a home, another 250,000 potential home buyers are forced to remain on the sidelines. Home builders would never diminish the important role that cost-effective building codes play in providing for occupant safety and health; in fact, new homes are safer than ever. However, as a society, we cannot afford to deny needed housing for the sake of new requirements without proven benefits. While they should remain an option for home owners who choose them, fire sprinklers in single-family homes are expensive to install, can be difficult to maintain and do not represent a cost-effective safety improvement over smoke alarm systems. For that reason, NAHB does not support measures to mandate their use. |
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