Is The HUD code less stringent than state or local building codes?
No. While there are some differences between the codes, this difference has more to do with how the codes are intended to operate. While state or local building codes are basically prescriptive, meaning they prescribe what type of lumber or what type of electric wire must be used in the construction of the home, the HUD Code is more focused on performance, allowing the manufacturer to use products that are most compatible with the factory-building process as long as these products perform according to the guidelines established within the code. Independent analysis comparing the state or local building codes with the HUD Code have found that “on balance, the codes are comparable” and “the net cumulative effect of the differences between the two codes is more likely on the order of hundreds of dollars, rather than thousands of dollars per unit.” The HUD Code is the more restrictive in situations such as ventilation, flame spread and structural loads.
