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  1. Mr Softy

    A historical question about horizontal building separation?

    This may be for the old-timers, or the historians. What year did the codes first address horizontal separations as a means of creating 2 separate buildings? (i.e, podium construction.) In a bigger sense, when did the concept of horizontal separation become any kind of thing in the codes? The...
  2. Mr Softy

    Construction Type for Exit Stair Tower

    I have my ideas, but I'd like to hear other opinions. 5-story pedestal building. 1st Floor Type IB; 4 Floors Type VA - max for the Use Group, R-2 Stair towers are 5 story. What construction type for the towers?
  3. Mr Softy

    Posting Pics. & Avatars

    Is there a way to attach pictures directly from one's tablet or phone?
  4. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    Thanks Insp. Cabin! That's very helpful, actually, in putting together the code justification. By law could refer to the binding lease agreement on the parcels, or perhaps even the BZA approval for the building.
  5. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    That's the exterior wall section. No exterior walls on the internal property lines.
  6. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    For exterior wall ratings, yes. But, by definition, there is no exterior wall. So how does one enforce a requirement for one?
  7. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    Already approved by the BZA
  8. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    Sorry. 2009 IBC
  9. Mr Softy

    Requirement for party wall?

    Looking at a proposed single B-use Type IIB building that stretches over 3 separately owned parcels. The developer controls all the parcels through acquisition of a ground lease for 99 years on all three lots. Now, the code is clear that IF a fire wall is located on a property line, it is...
  10. Mr Softy

    FRTW wood subfloor in Type I or II building?

    in this case, the commentary doesn't do much but parrot the code. but that's cool. imho, the code is saying the double layer of wood subfloor and wood finish floor acts similar to a single layer of wood. as long as it is installed over allowed non-FRTW sleepers spaced according to 805.1.1...
  11. Mr Softy

    FRTW wood subfloor in Type I or II building?

    well...this is interesting 805.1.2 Wood finish flooring is permitted to be attached...directly to wood subflooring attached to sleepers as provided for in Section 805.1.1. wood finish floor - check compliant sleepers - check. methinks the FRYW plywood subwood floor is compliant.
  12. Mr Softy

    FRTW wood subfloor in Type I or II building?

    Not one of the exceptions in 603.1. Yay or Nay?
  13. Mr Softy

    In-Law Suites

    I've always made my argument for or against an 'in-law suite' based on the word 'independent'. If the unit attaches to the main dwelling with an opening (it can have a door), where the occupants can pass freely between one space and the other, then it is not 'independent'. Or separate. (Using...
  14. Mr Softy

    Homeless shelter - Occ class under 2009 IBC?

    I see it as R-1
  15. Mr Softy

    Roof decking (partially plywood, partiall not plywood) Fanwood NJ

    sounds like he was padding out his report to justify the expense. I have never heard of requiring replacement of board sheathing with plywood.
  16. Mr Softy

    Plumbing Fixture Calculations

    If the only number we are given is the total egress OL, that is what we will use for fixture count calcs. We will accept modified OL numbers for fixture count purposes only. But they come from the RDP, and they are detailed and specific to the building and its use areas. f'rinstance, the area...
  17. Mr Softy

    903.2.1.2 Group A-2 sprinkler required?

    this would reinforce the argument for an OL of 103.
  18. Mr Softy

    903.2.1.2 Group A-2 sprinkler required?

    When you say 'deck', do you mean deck or patio? Either way, the outdoor occupant load has to be added to the indoor occupant load to determine egress requirements. (2009 IBC 1004.8) I suppose an argument could then be constructed that the actual occupant load is 103. And Condition 2 then applies.
  19. Mr Softy

    Egress window

    exactly. hard to imagine an unsprinklered managed care building. and if it's managed care, how are the residents going to use an egress window anyway? Wouldn't it fall into an I use?
  20. Mr Softy

    Good Evening Everyone.

    Alas, poor AHJay! I knew him, jar546, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a thousand times, and now how abhorr'd in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.
  21. Mr Softy

    What would you do?

    1. investigate the complaint and explain the code and its requirements - that 2 restrooms are required, including the accessible one - if that doesn't work... 2. cite them under our building and access code, and probably the plumbing code - if that doesn't work... 3. threaten their common...
  22. Mr Softy

    55 year old building with 0 setback

    I think the actual physical building would be grandfathered in its zoning non-compliance. the previous use, however, goes away. any re-use of the building would need to be conforming to the zone the building is in.
  23. Mr Softy

    What exactly is a Level 2 alteration per the IEBC?

    1 yes 2 yes 3 yes
  24. Mr Softy

    Defining Work Area

    if one asks the ICC, they feel that Level 1 and Level 2 work can co-exist on the same project. a moved wall could be Level 2, but the sheetrock that butts up to it is Level 1. with this interpretation, one could parse off all reconfiguration into a tiny percentage of the overall project, and...
  25. Mr Softy

    Defining Work Area

    oy. Code Committee gets back to work in a few weeks, and 'reconfigured space' is item one on the agenda. the key question is still - why have thresholds to FP upgrades (based on % of work area) if the code is written (or applied) in a way that those thresholds never get met? RLGA's warehouse...
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