The builder intends to use those joists in the new floor, points out that they are the same size and species, and notes that most still carry a readable grade stamp. How should the inspector respond?
- AAccept them; a grade stamp travels with the piece, so stamped material may be reused wherever new material could be used
A grade stamp describes the piece as it left the mill. Reuse turns on the present condition of the member, which is what the approval requirement is designed to examine.
- BReject them outright; salvaged structural material may never be reused in new residential construction
Reuse is contemplated by the code and happens on many projects. A blanket prohibition would be wrong and would be reversed on appeal.
- CAccept them; the code regulates new materials, and reused material is a matter between the builder and the owner
Materials in a permitted building are squarely within the code's scope, whether new or salvaged, and the approval requirement applies specifically to used material.
- Withhold acceptance; used materials may be reused only where the building official approves them for the purpose
Why D is correct
Used materials may not be reused unless approved by the building official. The stamp records the original grading and says nothing about damage since, so the department reviews the actual condition, including notches, bores, splits, decay and insect damage, before deciding.
What this question is testing
Whether the candidate knows used materials require the building official's approval rather than being either automatically acceptable or prohibited, and understands what that approval is meant to examine.
On the job
Salvage is increasingly common, driven by cost and by deconstruction programs, and timbers from older buildings are often better material than anything available new. Inspectors who handle it well set expectations early: how the material will be sorted, what defects disqualify a piece, and whether a design professional will be involved. The conversation is much easier before the lumber is in the floor.
Memory technique
Old wood needs new approval.
Exam tip
Used material is neither banned nor automatic. It is approved case by case.
Where to look it up
IRC Chapter 1, duties and powers of the building official, the approved materials and used materials paragraphs.