§ 143-139.1. Certification of manufactured buildings, structures or components by recognized independent testing laboratory; minimum standards for modular homes. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 143‑139.1.  Certification of manufacturedbuildings, structures or components by recognized independent testinglaboratory; minimum standards for modular homes.

(a)        Certification. – The State Building Code may provide, incircumstances deemed appropriate by the Building Code Council, for testing,evaluation, inspection, and certification of buildings, structures orcomponents manufactured off the site on which they are to be erected, by arecognized independent testing laboratory having follow‑up inspectionservices approved by the Building Code Council. Approval of such buildings,structures or components shall be evidenced by labels or seals acceptable tothe Council. All building units, structures or components bearing such labelsor seals shall be deemed to meet the requirements of the State Building Codeand this Article without further inspection or payment of fees, except as maybe required for the enforcement of the Code relative to the connection of unitsand components and enforcement of local ordinances governing zoning, utilityconnections, and foundations permits. The Building Code Council shall adopt andmay amend from time to time such reasonable and appropriate rules andregulations as it deems necessary for approval of agencies offering suchtesting, evaluation, inspection, and certification services and for overseeingtheir operations. Such rules and regulations shall include provisions to insurethat such agencies are independent and free of any potential conflicts ofinterest which might influence their judgment in exercising their functionsunder the Code. Such rules and regulations may include a schedule of reasonablefees to cover administrative expenses in approving and overseeing operations ofsuch agencies and may require the posting of a bond or other securitysatisfactory to the Council guaranteeing faithful performance of duties underthe Code.

The Building Code Council may also adopt rules to insure that anyperson that is not licensed, in accordance with G.S. 87‑1, and thatundertakes to erect a North Carolina labeled manufactured modular building,meets the manufacturer's installation instructions and applicable provisions ofthe State Building Code. Any such person, before securing a permit to erect amodular building, shall provide the code enforcement official proof that he hasin force for each modular building to be erected a $5,000 surety bond insuringcompliance with the regulations of the State Building Code governinginstallation of modular buildings.

(b)        Minimum Standards for Modular Homes. – To qualify for alabel or seal under subsection (a) of this section, a single‑familymodular home must meet or exceed the following construction and designstandards:

(1)        Roof pitch. – For homes with a single predominant roofline,the pitch of the roof shall be no less than five feet rise for every 12 feet ofrun.

(2)        Eave projection. – The eave projections of the roof shall beno less than 10 inches, which may not include a gutter around the perimeter ofthe home, unless the roof pitch is 8/12 or greater.

(3)        Exterior wall. – The minimum height of the exterior wallshall be at least seven feet six inches for the first story.

(4)        Siding and roofing materials. – The materials and texturefor the exterior materials shall be compatible in composition, appearance, anddurability to the exterior materials commonly used in standard residentialconstruction.

(5)        Foundations. – The home shall be designed to requirefoundation supports around the perimeter. The supports may be in the form ofpiers, pier and curtain wall, piling foundations, a perimeter wall, or otherapproved perimeter supports. (1971, c. 1099;1989, c. 653, s. 2; 2003‑400, s. 17.)