Talk:Building code

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History and Legal Terminology

I'm a writer and former attorney for a small US city. This page prompted me to open a wiki account because it didn't answer my questions the way most articles do.

Using the vernacular term "grandfathered" troubles me. Building codes should be understood as broadly prospective (applying from a certain future date and thereafter) with rare retroactive application. Grandfathered is fine, even helpful, as a way of explaining how code regulation applies to existing structures but it shouldn't be the header.

My sense is that codes have a haphazard history that differs from the tone of the article. Since I'm already researching the area for my book, I plan to try to understand the last 50 years before proposing any edits. This isn't an area where I have specialized knowledge and I wanted to post as an introduction to anyone whose already hard at work here. I appreciate your contributions and think we can make the page a bit better.

Thanks. JoySoFierce (talk) 19:08, 14 August 2026 (UTC)