Section 101.73. Departmental duties.

  The department shall:

(1)  Adopt rules which establish standards for the use of building materials, methods and equipment in the manufacture and installation of modular homes for use as dwellings or dwelling units. Where feasible, the standards used shall be those nationally recognized and shall apply to the dwelling and to its electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning and other systems. Such rules shall take into account the conservation of energy in construction and maintenance of dwellings and the costs to home buyers of specific code provisions in relation to the benefits derived therefrom.

(2)  Adopt rules for the examination of plans and specifications and for periodic in-plant and on-site inspections of manufacturing facilities, processes, fabrication, assembly and installation of modular homes to ensure that examinations and inspections are made in compliance with the rules adopted for construction, electrical wiring, heating, ventilating, air conditioning and other systems under ss. 101.70 to 101.77 and with the rules for indoor plumbing adopted by the department under ch. 145 .

(3)  Provide for examination of plans and specifications and in-plant inspections when contracted for by the manufacturer under s. 101.75 (1) and shall contract to provide on-site inspection services for the installation of modular homes for dwellings, at municipal expense, for any municipality which requires such service under s. 101.76 or 101.761 .

(5)  Adopt rules for the certification, including provisions for suspension and revocation thereof, of on-site inspectors of the installation of modular homes for dwellings. Persons certified as on-site inspectors may be employees of the department, a city, village, town or county or an independent agency.

(6)  Adopt rules for the certification, including provisions for suspension and revocation thereof, of independent inspection agencies to conduct in-plant inspections of manufacturing facilities, processes, fabrication and assembly of modular homes for dwellings and to certify compliance with this subchapter.

(7)  Issue or recognize an insignia of compliance for dwellings which conform to the modular home code.

(8)  Biennially review the rules promulgated under this subchapter.

(9)  Issue special orders which it deems necessary to secure compliance with this subchapter and enforce the same by all appropriate administrative and judicial proceedings.

(10)  Prescribe and furnish to municipalities a standard building permit form for all new one- and 2-family dwellings.

(11)  Hear petitions regarding the modular home code, rules and special orders in accordance with s. 101.02 (6) (e) to (i) and (8) .

(12)  Establish by rule a schedule of fees sufficient to defray the costs incurred under this subchapter.

1975 c. 405 ; 1979 c. 221 ; 1981 c. 20 ; 1983 a. 27 ; 1987 a. 343 ; 1993 a. 414 ; 2007 a. 11 , 67 . Cross-reference: See also ch. SPS 316 , Wis. adm. code.