Just checking to make sure I've got this right and haven't missed some code section. A mezzanine is not considered a "floor" so therefore an elevator connecting the first floor and mezzanine would not need to be located in a rated shaft, correct?
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I attended a meeting with a friend and his wife last night, and found myself listening to a discussion I wanted to join in on ... but (for once) I restrained myself. I didn't want to give bad advice.
Question: what use and occupancy classification would you assign to an indoor shooting range that's not a commercial enterprise but is a membership benefit of a private shooting club?
Looking through the classifications in IBC Chapter 3, the only classification that seems to fit (but isn't...
Hello, gutting a residential 4 unit building. Not reconfiguring any of the spaces, so not creating work areas. It would seem prudent to replace the floor/ ceiling finishes to create a one hour assembly between units as if it were new. But then it starts to open up a can of worms because the property line is a couple feet away from the building. If I follow the same logic and rate the exterior wall I would need to be removing windows and adding additional work. Or if we should just be...
I am working on an apartment building. The parapet wall is 5' tall with diagonal braces to support the parapet wall. In my previous company we insulated the parapet wall and the triangle space under braces to avoid condensation. Otherwise, I was told that each bay needs a small vent. Is that correct?
By the way, this is a 1 hour type V building. Does the parapet wall needs to be1hr rated? It is far away from property line.
I'm working on an existing building. Current floor to floor is 8'7", I have approximately 7'-7" clear. I have an enclosed bulkhead that has an 8" duct, with approximately 1.5" for connections (so 9.5") and it is enclosed with 2 1/2" studs. So, with drywall that puts me just over 6'-8" clear. the bulkhead is 3.5' wide and cuts across (perpendicular) my exit access corridor. Does a bulkhead fall under exception 1003.3.1: Protruding objects are permitted to extend below the min. ceiling...
what classification of building occupancey would a vo-ag building be? It has welding stations and also flammable product storage but not over the limits. the building has several classrooms and a large shop area. can the shop area be a h2 or an h3
Multistory sprinkled building with corridor ~elevator lobby from elevator that has openings into office area, multipurpose area: No door. A situaltion where the elevator is in the middle and the exit at each end of the building with circular access to both around the elevator lobby. Can bead strings (1960's hippy decoration} be hung in one of the openings? Considering as drapes and only ok if that portion of the opening is not a part of the egress path. Otherwise, just bad taste will...
This is a Type IIA building, four stories tall. The roof is a noncombustible hip roof with 1-hour SFRM (Sprayed Fire-Resistive Material) to satisfy Table 601. At the front of the building, the hip roof extends approximately 20 feet over an egress balcony and exterior egress stairs. On the other three sides, the roof overhangs by about 3 feet to form eaves. All structural elements, both interior and exterior, will be fire-protected.
My question is: does the 1-hour SFRM we are considering for...
I am trying to layout my PV solar array canopy over an existing parking lot of 750 parking spaces and would like canopy length to exceed 150'. This topic has been discussed several times on this forum and canopies with photovoltaic arrays are best classified as occupancy use U, carports. Section 503.1 from code is below and has a special exception that if I meet certain dimension requirements the canopy does not add to the building height or floor area. How does this apply to at grade...
Our agency is moving into a new space that is currently being built and some of us have concerns. While there are 3-4 different ways of exiting the building to the outside (all space in first floor) there is an interior hallway with office space, restrooms and storage space with no windows approximately 50-60’ of hallway and approximately 150’ from farthest corner of room to nearest exit. But in order to get to any of the exits you need to get to the top of the hallway to make a left or...
IBC 2018
I realize that I have some continuing confusion with fire walls -- and the door requirements -- between new sprinklered additions and existing unsprinklered buildings.
As an example -- Given a typical project where a fully-sprinklered addition is being connected to an existing unsprinklered building (existing building large enough to have been divided into fire areas).
What is the fire wall requirement at the interface? I think I've assumed that the existing building wall would...
Using IBC 2018 - Pennsylvania
I have a 3 story building with a basement. There are two interior exit stairs, but not every tenant spaces has access to the two exits. The building will be sprinklered and business use. I'm just over 100 feet travel distance to the common space that connects to the 2-hr rated stair tower. I would like to make the partitions that enclose the common space, rated fire barriers to qualify the common space as an exit passageway to meet Table 1006.2.1 (Spaces...
Hello all, I was asked if lockdown magnets like this are code compliant. You would basically have the door locked and cover the latch receiver with a magnetic strip so you can then simply remove the strip in a lockdown. We are under the 2021 IFC / IBC. I'm having trouble finding a code path for this other than 1010.2.8 item 4 with remote locking as an alternative solution to what they're attempting. What code would you use to support your answer? Thank you.
IBC 2018, IFC 2018
K-12 Group E
Working on a school project.
An existing 5500 SF campus building with hip roof / attic is intended to have a sprinkler system added as part of a campus plan.
Construction Type VB. Exterior and interior walls are metal stud -- but combustible roof construction -- wood trusses / sheathing.
5/8" gyp on bottom of trusses.
IBC 903.3.1.2.3 Attics
Attic protection shall be provided as follows:
1.Attics that are used or intended for living purposes or storage...
I have a project where a wood enclosure that is 18 feet x 23 feet in plan view and 10'-3" in height is proposed to be installed within a Type I-A building to house a new MRI machine. This enclosure will be made completely out of fire retardant treated (per IBC Chapter 2303.2) wood with a layer of copper installed as a radio frequency shield at the ceiling, walls and along the top of the slab-on-grade below the flooring of the wood enclosure.
This enclosure will have the MRI machine in it...
I have an existing A-3 two story occupancy (19th century historic building) connected on two levels to an existing three story addition built in 1924 (also historic building) which has office space supporting the main occupancy and I am trying to evaluate its compliance with IBC.
Unfortunately, the existing construction type floor area limits are much less than the actual floor areas of both occupancy floors, even after retrofitting sprinklers.
We can separate the A-3 from the B occupancy...
Hello all-- longtime lurker, first time poster. This place has been a valuable resource over the years and I've come across a topic on a project that I'm not finding too much discussion around here.
I'm currently working on an existing two-story building, B occupancy throughout. The second story has an occupant load of 51 and is served by two exit stairs in a 1hr enclosure. The building is in Seattle which has a unique addition to the existing building code stating "Accessible means of...
I'm working on a renovation/change of use of a two story building with a B occupancy, per the 2021 IBC. The first floor is around 5,000 sf and will have 3 exits doors. The second floor is only 500 sf and is served by a single existing exit access stair. I'm slightly confused on whether this 2nd story needs to comply with table 1006.3.4(2) Stories With One Exit or Access to One Exit
Per 1006.3.3, "Each story and occupied roof shall have the minimum number of separate and distinct exits...
Hello, New to the forum, and my code consultant is currently unavailable. I can post a floor plan but I don't see an option to attach.
We are starting a 3 story, 12 unit apartment building, slab on grade here in Minnesota, where we use the 2020 Minn. Bldg. Code. (2018 IBC Amended) We have done a preliminary code review to determine that we will not fall into the residential code, the units will be separated by 1 hour construction both vertical & horizontal.
1.) We are assuming the interior...
Hi everyone, I'm working on an existing project with CMU block on the exterior. There is recently a leak through the building, and it is claimed that due to the fact the CMU walls does not have water repellent application on them. The project is in CA and I have been researching CBC to great length and yet to find any code requirement for the CMU wall to be coated.
CBC Section 1403.2 Exception actually says that "A weather-resistant exterior wall envelope shall not be required over concrete...
I am working on an assembly space with 1 story above grade and a basement level within a mall. The basement level requires only 1 means of egress, which is provided and meets capacity req's. The client/designer are proposing a spiral staircase from the first floor to the basement- it will not be a required means of egress, and cant act as one if it would be needed. Can they place it in the space as a design element and should I be meeting chapter 10 of the IBC for this non-egress element?
What are the requirements for an existing four-story R2 (protected) undergoing a large exterior renovation? It is attached via a breezeway and elevators to an open concrete and steel parking garage. Can it be a VB?
Is there anything in the code to allow experimental set-up of equipment under a temporary permit and then it's removal?
I have a plant that produces some Co2 and they want to reduce that CO2. There is experimental equipment to be installed and I was asked if a permit would be required. There's no GC involved and the equipment would be installed to see if it works and then it could be removed. I have seen bits an pieces of the proposed plans but nothing is stamped, no cost estimate provided...
Hello all,
Per 2021 IBC 1011.7.3, it looks like there cannot be any storage closets under stairs within an interior stairwell enclosure unless it is accessed outside the enclosure and properly rated. I have come across this at multiple newly constructed buildings where a door is located inside the stairwell. I’m wondering if I’m missing something and they are allowed somehow in certain cases? Or was this likely an oversight? Seems pretty black and white though.
Thank you for your input.
I have a Golf Clubhouse that is wanting to add a banquet hall to and provide golf cart storage below. We are not on municipal water supply and are allowed in WI to get a statement from the fire marshal stating we don't need to be sprinklered, which we have done.
The current basement is a walk-out on the short end and just used for storage. With the addition, I no longer meet IBC 903.2.11.1 exception 2 as I do with the existing building.
See plan below....If I space windows/doors 50' apart...