i'd be willing to wager than 98% of the homes in rural AK are not built "to code."  community centers, washeterias, schools- may be code compliant, in some cases.  but not the average residence.  

costs too much.  ya learn early on to use the materials on hand, re-use anything that has any "life" left in it, and somehow make it all work.  good ol' fashion eskimo ingenuity.