Exploring Extended Coverage for Unexpected Repair Costs

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The purpose of building codes is to provide minimum standards for safety, health, and general welfare including structural integrity, mechanical integrity (including sanitation, water supply, light, and ventilation), means of egress, fire prevention and control, and energy conservation.^[9][10] Building codes generally include:

• Standards for structure, placement, size, usage, wall assemblies, fenestration size/locations, egress rules, size/location of rooms, foundations, floor assemblies, roof structures/assemblies, energy efficiency, stairs and halls, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, site drainage & storage, appliance, lighting, fixtures standards, occupancy rules, and swimming pool regulations
• Rules regarding parking and traffic impact
• Fire code rules to minimize the risk of a fire and to ensure safe evacuation in the event of such an emergency^{[citation needed]}
• Requirements for earthquake (seismic code), hurricane, flood, and tsunami resistance, especially in disaster prone areas or for very large buildings where a failure would be catastrophic^{[citation needed]}
• Requirements for specific building uses (for example, storage of flammable substances, or housing a large number of people)
• Energy provisions and consumption
• Grandfather clauses: Unless the building is being renovated, the building code usually does not apply to existing buildings.
• Specifications on components
• Allowable installation methodologies
• Minimum and maximum room ceiling heights, exit sizes and location
• Qualification of individuals or corporations doing the work
• For high structures, anti-collision markers for the benefit of aircraft

Building codes are generally separate from zoning ordinances, but exterior restrictions (such as setbacks) may fall into either category.

Designers use building code standards out of substantial reference books during design. Building departments review plans submitted to them before construction, issue permits [or not] and inspectors verify compliance to these standards at the site during construction.

There are often additional codes or sections of the same building code that have more specific requirements that apply to dwellings or places of business and special construction objects such as canopies, signs, pedestrian walkways, parking lots, and radio and television antennas.

Building codes have been criticized for contributing to housing crisis and increasing the cost of new housing to some extent, including through conflicting code between different administrators.^[11] Proposed improvements include regular review and cost-benefit analysis of building codes,^[12] promotion of low-cost construction materials and building codes suitable to mass production,^[11] reducing bureaucracy, and promoting transparency.^[13]

Building codes have a long history. The earliest known written building code is included in the Code of Hammurabi,^[3] which dates from circa 1772 BC.

The book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible stipulated that parapets must be constructed on all houses to prevent people from falling off.^[14]

In the Chinese book of rites it mentions that ancestral temples and houses should be a certain standard length in ancient China they measured land in the chu or well field system so it was important to be precise though most of the actual lengths are lost or obscure.^[15][16]

In ancient Japan a certain official destroyed a courtiers house because the size was above his rank.^[17]

In Paris, under the reconstruction of much of the city under the Second Empire (1852–70), great blocks of apartments were erected^[18] and the height of buildings was limited by law to five or six stories at most.

After the Great Fire of London in 1666, which had been able to spread so rapidly through the densely built timber housing of the city, the Rebuilding of London Act 1666 was passed in the same year as the first significant building regulation.^[19] Drawn up by Sir Matthew Hale, the act regulated the rebuilding of the city, required housing to have some fire resistance capacity and authorised the City of London Corporation to reopen and widen roads.^[20] The Laws of the Indies were passed in the 1680s by the Spanish Crown to regulate the urban planning for colonies throughout Spain's worldwide imperial possessions.

The first systematic national building standard was established with the Metropolitan Buildings Act 1844. Among the provisions, builders were required to give the district surveyor two days' notice before building, regulations regarding the thickness of walls, height of rooms, the materials used in repairs, the dividing of existing buildings and the placing and design of chimneys, fireplaces and drains were to be enforced and streets had to be built to minimum requirements.^[21]

The Metropolitan Buildings Office was formed to regulate the construction and use of buildings throughout London. Surveyors were empowered to enforce building regulations, which sought to improve the standard of houses and business premises, and to regulate activities that might threaten public health. In 1855 the assets, powers and responsibilities of the office passed to the Metropolitan Board of Works.

The City of Baltimore passed its first building code in 1891.^[22] The Great Baltimore Fire occurred in February 1904. Subsequent changes were made that matched other cities.^[23] In 1904, a Handbook of the Baltimore City Building Laws was published. It served as the building code for four years. Very soon, a formal building code was drafted and eventually adopted in 1908.

The structural failure of the tank that caused the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 prompted the Boston Building Department to require engineering and architectural calculations be filed and signed. U.S. cities and states soon began requiring sign-off by registered professional engineers for the plans of major buildings.^[24]

More recently, the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse has prompted updates to California's balcony building codes, set for 2025, which include stricter material requirements, enhanced load-bearing standards, and mandatory inspections which known as SB326 and SB721.^[25]These laws mandate regular inspections every six years for multifamily buildings. Property owners and HOAs are required to address any structural or waterproofing issues identified during inspections to ensure compliance and safety. Failure to comply can result in fines, increased liability, and legal consequences. The updates aim to prevent tragedies like the Berkeley collapse, which was caused by dry rot and structural failure, by ensuring the long-term safety and durability of elevated structures.^[26]

The current energy codes^{[clarification needed]} of the United States are adopted at the state and municipal levels and are based on the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Previously, they were based on the Model Energy Code (MEC). As of March 2017, the following residential codes have been partially or fully adopted by states:^[27]

• 2015 IECC or equivalent (California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington)
• 2012 IECC or equivalent (Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas)
• 2009 IECC or equivalent (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin)
• 2006 IECC or equivalent (Utah)
• 2006 IECC or no statewide code (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming)

Australia uses the National Construction Code.

• Building officials
• Construction law
• Earthquake-resistant structures
• Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants
• Outline of construction
• Seismic code
• Uniform Mechanical Code
• Variance (land use) – permission to vary zoning and sometimes building to code

• IAPMO Website
• IAPMO Codes Website

 

Coordinates: 42°03′50″N 88°08′49″W / 42.06389°N 88.14694°W / 42.06389; -88.14694CountryUnited StatesStateIllinoisCountiesCookTownshipsSchaumburg, Palatine, Hanover, BarringtonIncorporated1959 (village)Government

 • MayorWilliam D. McLeod^{[citation needed]} • Village ManagerEric J. Palm^{[citation needed]}Area

21.25 sq mi (55.03 km²) • Land21.07 sq mi (54.56 km²) • Water0.18 sq mi (0.47 km²)  0.86%Elevation

824 ft (251 m)Population

52,530 • Density2,493.71/sq mi (962.82/km²)Zip Code

Area code(s)847 / 224FIPS code17-35411GNIS feature ID2398519^[2]Websitewww.hoffmanestates.org

Hoffman Estates is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 52,530.^[3]

The village previously served as the headquarters for Sears and is one of the American headquarters for Mori Seiki. Now Arena, home of the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League is part of the village. Between 2006 and 2009, the village hosted the Heartland International Tattoo, one of the largest music and dance festivals of its kind in the Midwest.

Prior to the 1940s, German settlers moved into the area west of Roselle Road and north of Golf Road, then known as Wildcat Grove. The area was sparsely populated until farmers purchased land in the area in the 1940s.

In 1954, Sam and Jack Hoffman, owners of a father-son owned construction company, bought 160 acres of land in the area.^[5] The pair constructed homes and began the development of the region which now bears their name. As residents moved in, they voted to incorporate the area, and the Village of Hoffman Estates was incorporated on September 23, 1959.^[6][5][7] In 1973, six former town officials, including mayors Edward F. Pinger (1959−1965) and Roy L. Jenkins (1965−1969) were indicted on bribery and tax charges.^[8]

Once the Northwest Tollway opened, Schaumburg Township became more attractive to Chicago commuters. In the early 1960s, land annexations north of the tollway and in other neighboring regions more than doubled Hoffman Estates' land area.^[9]

The opening of the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg to the east in 1971 made the area a major business center. An attempt to change the name of the village to East Barrington, among other names, was made in the early 1980s but failed upon a residential vote.^[10]

In the 1990s, the Prairie Stone Business Park began development. This 750-acre (3.0 km²) planned multi-purpose business park^[11] is bounded by Illinois Route 59 on the east, Interstate 90 on the south, Illinois Route 72 on the north, and Beverly Road on the west. The business park came to fruition in 1993 when Sears, Roebuck and Company relocated from the Sears Tower in Chicago to a sprawling headquarters in the northwest part of Prairie Stone.^[12][11] That was followed in by Indramat and Quest International, which in 1995 also opened facilities in the park.^[13][14][15] Throughout the 1990s, a health and wellness center and child care facility were developed, as well as other smaller office buildings, and a branch of Northern Illinois University. Development of the business park is still ongoing, and recent additions in the 2000s include the 11,000-seat Now Arena; office buildings for Serta, WT Engineering, I-CAR, and Mary Kay; a Cabela's outdoor outfitters store; a 295-room Marriott hotel; and the 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m²) Poplar Creek Crossing Retail Center, which is anchored by Target and numerous other big-box retailers. Future development will include further office buildings and retail development, Sun Island Hotel and Water Park, an amphitheater, and restaurants.

In 2011, the Village of Hoffman Estates took over ownership of the Now Arena.^[16] On June 23, 2020, the Village of Hoffman Estates approved an $11.5 million deal to rename the Sears Centre Arena to the "NOW Arena".^[17]

In the fall of 2016, papers and artifacts from President Barack Obama's administration began to arrive in town, where they are being stored in a building on Golf Road. The site is their temporary home while construction takes place on the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, Chicago, and is not open to the public.^[18]

In January 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the second U.S. case of COVID-19 in a Hoffman Estates resident. The patient, a woman in her 60s returning from Wuhan, China, was treated at St. Alexius Medical Center.^[19] Her husband was later infected in the first case of human-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the United States.^[20]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Hoffman Estates has a total area of 21.25 square miles (55.04 km²), of which 21.07 square miles (54.57 km²) (or 99.15%) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) (or 0.85%) is water.^[21]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	8,296		—
1970	22,238		168.1%
1980	37,272		67.6%
1990	46,363		24.4%
2000	49,495		6.8%
2010	51,895		4.8%
2020	52,530		1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[22] 2010[23] 2020[24]

Hoffman Estates village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[25]	Pop 2010[23]	Pop 2020[24]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	33,789	29,357	26,014	68.27%	56.57%	49.52%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,141	2,393	2,472	4.33%	4.61%	4.71%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	54	60	69	0.11%	0.12%	0.13%
Asian alone (NH)	7,429	11,701	13,733	15.01%	22.55%	26.14%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	10	4	2	0.02%	0.01%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	73	70	183	0.15%	0.13%	0.35%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	801	1,013	1,579	1.62%	1.95%	3.01%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,198	7,297	8,478	10.50%	14.06%	16.14%
Total	49,495	51,895	52,350	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 census^[26] there were 52,530 people, 18,110 households, and 14,048 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,472.58 inhabitants per square mile (954.67/km²). There were 19,160 housing units at an average density of 901.86 per square mile (348.21/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 52.08% White, 26.26% Asian, 4.87% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 7.51% from other races, and 8.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.14% of the population.

There were 18,110 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.71% were married couples living together, 11.97% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.43% were non-families. 18.07% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.43% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 2.77.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $92,423, and the median income for a family was $103,641. Males had a median income of $56,210 versus $42,288 for females. The per capita income for the village was $40,016. About 3.3% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Many Japanese companies have their U.S. headquarters in Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg^[27] but the largest employers in Hoffman Estates as of 2023^[28] are:

No.	Employer	No. of employees
1	St. Alexius Medical Center	2,500
2	Siemens Medical Systems	400
3	Claire's[29]	400
4	Village of Hoffman Estates	370
5	FANUC America[30]	350
6	Vistex	350
7	Leopardo Companies, Inc.	300
8	Wells Fargo	300
9	The Salvation Army	270
10	Tate & Lyle	220

The village is served by several public school districts. The majority of residents who live in Schaumburg Township attend:

• Township High School District 211 (9–12)^[31]
• Community Consolidated School District 54 (K–8)^[32]

North Hoffman Estates (north of I-90) residents are served by:

• Township High School District 211
• Community Consolidated School District 15 (K–8)^[33] (East of Huntington Blvd)
• Barrington School District 220 (K–12) (Unit District) (West of Huntington Blvd).^[34]

Residents west of Barrington Road primarily attend Unit School District, Elgin Area U46.

Schools located in the Hoffman Estates village limits:

• Hoffman Estates High School
• James B. Conant High School

Other high schools in the same township high school district:

• Schaumburg High School
• William Fremd High School
• Palatine High School

Most of the village is served by Harper College Community College District 512.

The Xilin Northwest Chinese School (simplified Chinese: 希林西北中文学校; traditional Chinese: 希林西北中文學校; pinyin: XÄ«lín XÄ«bÄ›i Zhōngwén Xuéxiào) holds its classes at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates.^[35] It serves grades preschool through 12.^[36] The school predominately serves mainland Chinese families. In 2003 the school held its classes in Palatine High School in Palatine. In 2000 the school had served around 300 students. This figure increased almost by 100%, to almost 600 students. This made it one of the largest of the Chinese schools in the Chicago area.^[37]

• Barrington Area Library
• Schaumburg Township District Library
• Gail Borden Public Library District
• Palatine Township Library

Hoffman Estates has one sister city:^[38]

• Angoulême, Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Hoffman Estates to Elgin, Rosemont, and other destinations.^[39]

• Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator from Illinois (2016–present)^[40]
• Rob Valentino (b. 1985), former soccer player who is an assistant coach for Atlanta United^[41]
• William Beckett, lead singer of the band The Academy Is...

• Village of Hoffman Estates official website