Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes [Spiral-bound]

Redwood Kardon (Author), Douglas Hansen (Author), Michael Casey mon (Author), Paddy Morrissey (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 156158911X | ISBN-13: 978-1561589111 | Publication Date: September 4, 2007

Taunton's Code Check series is widely recognized as the most reliable and up-to-date code reference available. Now, the thousands of builders, remodelers, and inspectors who have relied on their Code Checks for accuracy and thoroughness will delight in this handsome new edition that combines all the codes into a single, lay-flat volume. This comprehensive manual spotlights the safety issues behind all the codes. Up-to-date and featuring more than 400 illustrations, Code Check Complete is cross-referenced to the International Residential Code, Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, and the National Electrical Code. It is the only resource any builder or inspector needs to be completely up to code.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Redwood Kardon is a former building inspector for Oakland, CA., and is the leading professional lecturer nationwide on building codes. He also owns and maintains codecheck.com, a website devoted to promoting the Code Check manual. Coauthors Douglas Hansen and Michael Casey have 25 and 18 years of field experience, respectively. All three authors teach seminars for inspectors around the country, using the Code Check series as their primary material. Paddy Morrissey was the senior illustrator for CornerHardware.com and has been the sole illustrator for the Code Check series.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 238 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (September 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156158911X
• ISBN-13: 978-1561589111
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > Law > Business > Construction
  • #31 in Books > Law > Specialties
  • #54 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Building & Construction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars it is not complete as the title suggests, November 29, 2007

By 

sactown diyer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes (Spiral-bound)

It is a good book but, it frequently refers you back to the main code check book for the service you are working on e.g. in plumbing it will refer you to the code check plumbing book for complete information. had I to do over again I would buy the individual books.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Handy All-in-One Reference on Residential Building Codes, June 5, 2008

By 

Edward Pohlman (Toledo, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes (Spiral-bound)

This is a handy composite easy-to-use reference book of the four major building codes covering building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. It is for residential buildings.

Previously, the Code Check series was (and still is) issued for each of the individual codes noted above. This guide combines all four into a condensed and smaller spiral bound hard cover book. It is easier to carry and use if you need to take a quick peek at more than one of the various building code references.

It is an easy guide for contractors, home inspectors, and others interested in the current rules and regulations as they pertain on a national basis. It is not meant as a substitute for your local code regs however.

I believe both formats have a use and am glad they came out with this newer composite or complete version of all residential codes into one small book.

An individual contractor or tradesperson might appreciate the individual CODE CHECK flip chart style guide better. As they cover one of the 4 various building codes, they are slightly larger and much more durable than the composite book. They are published on damage-resistant plastic coated card stock and impervious to moisture damage. They are also larger, yet thinner and are quicker to use as they flip open with their sections all summarized on the cover.

The composite book is smaller, yet thicker. While it is also spiral bound, the paper it is printed on is not tear or moisture-resistant. The value for the composite is superior in that it provides most, if not all of the same information as the individual Code Checks. It is also much less expensive buying the composite compared to buying the four code checks separately. The pages are smaller and more difficult to read if one relies upon glasses in order to read.

The other glaring detraction is the information for the Electrical section. Perhaps the book came out a few months too early. Everything in the Building, HVAC, and Plumbing sections is up-to-date. The Electrical section still contains the information from the 2002/2005 National Electrical Code. Not the newest 2008 version. I would imagine however, that the next edition of the composite "Complete" Code Check book would contain the latest info. Many, if not most local jurisdictions tend to operate off the older NEC, so it may be of little consequence at this point anyway.

One other small observation, is that if you lend out your code check "complete", then you lend all of it out together. Unlike the individual publications. Also, it is not as durable, so if one does lend it out, it may not hold up in the long run, unlike the other larger plastic-coated booklets.

It is still a wise investment for the money. And a great way to have all the major code R&Rs in your hand for a quick and easy reference.

One other note, the publisher on their website also offers several downloads free of charge. One is the "California" Building Code. Another is changes or errors and ommissions in the Code Check Complete. It is after all in its first edition. However the mistakes are kept to a minimum.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Code check complete review, April 7, 2008

By 

Dennis Krentz (Lake County, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes (Spiral-bound)

good source book for those who are making their way through the permit and inspection process. Seems to be complete, but misses a few things such as smoke alarm requirements. An index would have been really helpful.