DIY Helper Building Codes

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers for the DIY Helper platform. Provides building code lookups, material specifications, and manufacturer guide access for real-time consultation support.

Servers

Building Codes Server

Provides access to residential building codes including:

• NEC (National Electrical Code)
• IRC (International Residential Code)
• IPC (International Plumbing Code)

Tools:

• search_building_codes - Natural language code search
• get_code_section - Retrieve specific code sections
• check_code_compliance - Verify scenario compliance
• list_code_categories - Browse available codes

Material Specs Server

Provides real-time material search, pricing, and quantity calculations.

Tools:

• search_materials - Search for products across suppliers
• get_product_details - Get detailed product specifications
• find_alternatives - Find similar products at different price points
• check_compatibility - Verify product compatibility
• calculate_wire_needed - Calculate electrical wire quantities
• calculate_outlets_needed - Calculate outlet requirements per NEC
• calculate_tile_needed - Calculate tile quantities
• calculate_paint_needed - Calculate paint requirements
• calculate_deck_lumber - Calculate deck framing materials
• calculate_pex_pipe - Calculate plumbing pipe needs
• create_shopping_list - Generate complete shopping lists

Running:

python src/material_specs_server/server.py

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• pip

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/diy-helper-mcp-servers.git
cd diy-helper-mcp-servers

2. Create virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure environment:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env and add your API keys

Usage

Running the Building Codes Server

python src/building_codes_server/server.py

Using with Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop config (claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "building-codes": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/diy-helper-mcp-servers/src/building_codes_server/server.py"],
      "env": {
        "CODE_DATABASE_PATH": "/path/to/codes.json"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Programmatically

from anthropic import Anthropic
from mcp import ClientSession, StdioServerParameters

# Initialize MCP client
server_params = StdioServerParameters(
    command="python",
    args=["src/building_codes_server/server.py"]
)

async with ClientSession(server_params) as session:
    # Initialize connection
    await session.initialize()
    
    # List available tools
    tools = await session.list_tools()
    
    # Call a tool
    result = await session.call_tool(
        "search_building_codes",
        {"query": "outlet spacing in living room", "jurisdiction": "National"}
    )
    print(result)

Development

Adding New Codes

Edit src/building_codes_server/codes.json:

{
  "id": "unique-id",
  "code_ref": "CODE SECTION",
  "title": "Code Title",
  "category": "electrical|plumbing|structural|mechanical|general",
  "jurisdiction": "National|State|City",
  "summary": "Plain English summary",
  "source": "Official source citation",
  "common_questions": ["question 1", "question 2"],
  "notes": "Additional context",
  "related_codes": ["RELATED-1", "RELATED-2"]
}

Running Tests

Testing

Run All Tests

# Run all tests
./run_all_tests.sh

# Or run individually:
python tests/test_building_codes.py
python tests/test_material_server.py

Test Coverage

Building Codes Server:

• ✓ Code search functionality
• ✓ Specific section retrieval
• ✓ Category listing
• ✓ Common DIY questions
• ✓ Jurisdiction filtering
• ✓ Edge case handling

Material Specs Server:

• ✓ Product search
• ✓ Product details
• ✓ Material calculators (7 types)
• ✓ Alternative products
• ✓ Compatibility checks
• ✓ Shopping list generation

Quick Tests

# Test building codes server directly
python src/building_codes_server/server.py

# Test material specs server directly
python src/material_specs_server/server.py

Web Testing Interface

For testing on Linux or without Claude Desktop, use the web interface:

Prerequisites

# Install Flask
pip install flask

# Set your Anthropic API key
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY='your-key-here'

Run the Web Interface

python test_web_interface.py

Then open your browser to: http://localhost:5000

Features

• Interactive chat with Claude + MCP tools
• Real-time building code lookups
• Material search and pricing
• Project calculators
• Complete conversation history
• Example queries to get started

Example Queries

Try these in the web interface:

• "What are the outlet spacing requirements for a kitchen?"
• "Search for 12 gauge wire and show me prices"
• "Calculate how much wire I need for a 40-foot circuit"
• "I'm installing a dishwasher 30 feet from the panel. What do I need?"

Roadmap

• Vector search integration (Pinecone/pgvector)
• Material specs server
• Manufacturer guides server
• Jurisdictional code amendments
• Image analysis for code compliance
• Cost estimation tools

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details

Support

• Documentation: docs/setup.md
• Issues: https://github.com/yourusername/diy-helper-mcp-servers/issues
• Email: [email protected]