Roofing in Farmington, New Mexico

Required

Required

Farmington adopts the state construction codes by a rolling reference rather than by edition year, which makes its local law track the current state rule automatically. STATE LAYER: New Mexico adopts a statewide residential code at 14.7.3 NMAC (2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code). 14.7.3.8 NMAC ADOPTION states, verbatim: "This rule adopts by reference the 2021 International Residential Code, as amended by this rule." 14.7.3.6 NMAC OBJECTIVE makes it a floor, verbatim: "The purpose of this rule is to establish minimum standards for the general construction of residential buildings in New Mexico." 14.7.3.5 NMAC makes the rule effective July 14, 2023 and provides that after December 14, 2023 permits may be issued only under it. CITY LAYER: Section 7-2-1 of the Farmington City Code (Buildings and building regulations - Building code - Adopted; amendments) provides, verbatim: "There is adopted by reference the same code or other minimum standards for building that is or may be adopted by the General Construction Bureau of the Construction Industries Division of the New Mexico Regulations and Licensing Department, referred to as the New Mexico Administrative Code, Title 14, Chapters 5-10, subject to the exceptions set forth below". Because the reference reaches whatever the Division "is or may be" adopting across the whole of NMAC Title 14 Chapters 5 through 10, it carries the current 14.7.3 NMAC residential code and the current 14.5.1, 14.5.2 and 14.5.3 NMAC general-provisions, permits and inspections rules into Farmington law without needing re-enactment. The City's own adopted-codes page states the same thing in list form, verbatim: "The City of Farmington has adopted the following set of international and State of New Mexico construction codes. Title 14, New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC): 14.5.1 General Provisions; 14.5.2 Permits; 14.5.3 Inspections (Construction Industries Division Rules) amend and adopts the following codes:" followed by "2021 NM Commercial Building Code (2021 IBC as amended)", "2021 NM Existing Building Code (2021 IEBC as amended)", "2021 NM Plumbing Code (2021 UPC as amended)", "2021 NM Mechanical Code (2021 UMC as amended)", "2020 NM Electrical Code (2021 NEC as amended)", "2021 NM Energy Conservation Code (2021 IECC as amended)" and others, plus "2021 International Fire Code, is also adopted by the City of Farmington" and the note "*Chapter 7, City of Farmington, City Code, amends and/or adopts the above codes." That page separately links "14.7.3 NMAC 2021 NEW MEXICO RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE" as the residential code in force. Section 7-2-1 then sets out five local exceptions, none of which touches the IRC's roofing chapters: (a) amends 14.5.2.9 NMAC's exemption list and adds a minor-repair exemption (see repair_permit_threshold); (b) amends 14.5.2.14(A) NMAC so that "any building permit issued shall be valid only for a period of two years from the date the permit is issued" and requires the permit to be posted conspicuously on or near the site; (c) amends 14.5.5.11 NMAC so that fees follow the schedule prepared by the director of community development and adopted by council resolution; (d) amends 14.5.2.16 NMAC to impose an investigation fee where work was done without a permit, equal with the permit fee to "five percent of the permit valuation of the structure for which no permit was secured"; and (e) amends 14.5.3.9(F) NMAC on additional inspections (see inspection_requirements). Sections 7-2-2 and 7-3-1 separately adopt the National Electrical Safety Code and the electrical code. Note that the Division's older PDF handout of the adopted-codes list still prints the 2015/2017/2009 editions; the current web page and the rolling Section 7-2-1 reference both carry the 2021 set, and after December 14, 2023 the state rule permits issuance under no other edition.

The Building Inspection Division is part of Community Development; the Division's own handouts give its address as 800 Municipal Drive, Farmington, NM 87401, phone (505) 599-1304, fax (505) 599-1298. The counter itself is in the Annex Building at 805 Municipal Drive, 2nd floor, across from City Hall. THERE IS NO ONLINE PERMITTING. The City states, verbatim, "We do not have permits online at this time" and "We currently do not accept online payments for permits"; an applicant must come into the office and may pay by check, money order, cashier's check or credit card (American Express, MasterCard and Visa, but not Discover), with credit cards accepted over the phone where necessary. Zoning and setback questions go to the Planning and Zoning Division on (505) 599-1317. Inspections are scheduled by calling (505) 599-1304 with the permit (application) number, at least a day in advance. The City publishes its own design loads: "Minimum roof live load - 20 psf" and "Frost Depth - 24 inches". Farmington also keeps a set of lobby bulletin handouts covering recurring details, among them "FLAT TO PITCHED ROOF", "CID DUPONT TYVEK-STUCCO WRAP" and "BEDROOM OR BASEMENT ESCAPE WINDOWS". A Farmington building permit is valid for two years from issuance and a copy "shall be posted by the permittee at a conspicuous place on or near the construction site at all times from the time work commences until completion of the same" (Section 7-2-1(b) of the City Code); the building official may renew it once, and only on a showing that circumstances beyond the permittee's control prevented completion. Statewide, two Chapter 9 amendments in 14.7.3.17 NMAC are on point for Farmington roofing work: added IRC Section R903.2.1 Locations requires, verbatim, that "Approved reglets or an approved flashing shall be installed at wall and roof intersections, wherever there is a change in roof slope or direction and around roof openings"; and the canale and scupper provisions added at R905.9.4/R905.9.5, R905.11.4, R905.12.4 and R905.13.4 require taper board at roof-deck transitions to crickets, valleys and canales and state that "All canales and scuppers must have a metal pan lining extending six inches minimum... All canales or scuppers must have positive drainage." Pumice and other granular fill are barred from roof assemblies - directly relevant where an older Farmington flat roof is being torn off.

A Farmington re-roof takes at least two inspections - a decking inspection once the old covering is off, and a final - and the City reserves the right to add more. Farmington makes the state inspection rules its own: Section 7-2-1 of the Farmington City Code adopts by reference the standards adopted by the Construction Industries Division at "New Mexico Administrative Code, Title 14, Chapters 5-10", which includes 14.5.2 NMAC (Permits) and 14.5.3 NMAC (Inspections), and the City's own adopted-codes page lists "14.5.1 General Provisions; 14.5.2 Permits; 14.5.3 Inspections (Construction Industries Division Rules)" by name. The five exceptions Section 7-2-1 carves out amend only 14.5.2.9, 14.5.2.14(A), 14.5.5.11, 14.5.2.16 and 14.5.3.9(F) NMAC, so 14.5.2.8 NMAC is adopted unamended. 14.5.2.8(E) NMAC provides, verbatim: "(1) All new roof installations and re-roofs require building permits and inspections. (2) All applications of roof coating systems require building permits and inspections. (3) Inspections must include, at a minimum, decking inspection upon removal of existing roof and the roof system or application of roof coating systems as a final inspection upon completion of roofing project." 14.5.3.9(B) NMAC lists the inspections required for work subject to the New Mexico Residential Building Code and includes, at (4), verbatim, "New and re-roofs, roof assembly inspection including decking, application of roof systems and application of roof coatings." Farmington then adds its own text on top: Section 7-2-1(e) amends 14.5.3.9(F) NMAC, Additional Inspections, by adding, verbatim, "All construction work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection. Routine specific inspections for the permitted project shall be determined by the City of Farmington Building Inspection Division at the time of the issuance of the permit and shall always include a final inspection. The building inspection division may make or require any inspection, including continuous inspections, to ascertain that the work complies with the provisions of this code." The City's residential page repeats the point in plain terms, verbatim: "When a permit is issued, there will be one or more required inspections. Final inspections are made for ALL permits." 14.5.3.8(F) NMAC makes the sequencing binding, verbatim: "Work must be visible to be inspected and shall not be covered or used before approval is given by the inspector." Inspections are booked by phone on (505) 599-1304, must be requested a day in advance, and require the permit (application) number.