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Basement finishing with a low beam

B

Brian Kimbark

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Joined
Dec 21, 2019
Messages
13
Location
New York
I recently purchased a new home with a 929 sq ft. unfinished basement. The basement is essentially one open room. My plan was to finish this basement to be used as a rec room with a utility room framed out for my boiler, washer/dryer, circuit breaker, etc. and maybe a separate room for a half bath.


The problem I have run into after looking up some of the New York State code is the requirement for beams to project within 6’ 4” of the finished floor. The main support beam that runs the length of the entire basement projects to 6’ 2” from the floor. The ceiling is 7’ in the rest of the basement space.


Is there a way I can work around this? Would it fit code to finish the basement only on one side of the beam, and leave the other unfinished? I read another post on this forum https://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/threads/habitable-basement-ceiling-height.4944/ with a similar issue, where the question was raised if both sides of the basement could be finished, leaving the area under the beam an uninhabitable zone that therefore would not need to adhere to the code. Could a wall be built underneath the beam?


The basement is relatively large, clean, open and begging to be finished. It would be a shame if a beam that is 2” too low disqualifies the entire basement from being finished. What are my options?


Thank you in advance for your help and expertise.
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Welcome

Merry Christmas

Give it a few days, and you will get some great answers !!

To post pictures, the easy way is be a paying, forum supporter,, Sawhorse

Or make the picture a link and post the picture
 
You might be able to mix exception 1 and 3, since the beam does not take of a majority of the ceiling.

And only talking two inches.


Exceptions:
  1. For rooms with sloped ceilings, the required floor area of the room shall have a ceiling height of not less than 5 feet (1524 mm) and not less than 50 percent of the required floor area shall have a ceiling height of not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).
  2. The ceiling height above bathroom and toilet room fixtures shall be such that the fixture is capable of being used for its intended purpose. A shower or tub equipped with a showerhead shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) above an area of not less than 30 inches (762 mm) by 30 inches (762 mm) at the showerhead.
  3. Beams, girders, ducts or other obstructions in basements containing habitable space shall be permitted to project to within 6 feet 4 inches (1931 mm) of the finished floor.
 
The spans look reasonable and the beam is dimensional lumber. As long as the grade stays the same the beam might be able to lose 2”...

Install a flitch plate and lose more inches.
 
Last edited:
Ask an engineer to run the calcs on what you have, vs an LVL and a steel i-beam 2” shallower.
 
Install walls under the beam and create door openings

R311.2 Egress door.
Not less than one egress door shall be provided for each dwelling unit. The egress door shall be side-hinged, and shall provide a clear width of not less than 32 inches (813 mm) where measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees (1.57 rad). The clear height of the door opening shall be not less than 78 inches (1981 mm) in height measured from the top of the threshold to the bottom of the stop. Other doors shall not be required to comply with these minimum dimensions. Egress doors shall be readily openable from inside the dwelling without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.
 
As mtlogcabing, noted in post #9, a wall with door openings below the beam would be permitted, the steel post could be covered inside that new wall, this IMO would be the most cost efficient way versus changing the beam size. No headers would be required because the wall would be non-load bearing.

Where's the duct work?
 
Easiest fix, set down with the common sense BO and ask for two inch common sense allowance.

And see what the answer is, before spending time and money.

Guessing this is not the only house in the area with same set up???
 
Had a problem like this once with a 2' wide duct. If 2' thick short walls were built on both sides of the room under the duct would the rest of the area under the duct be considered just a 2' deep doorway?
 
I think R305.1.1 Exception might cover some issue "other obstructions" allows for 6 feet - 4-inches (76-inches).

Who determines the width of a wall? Can the duct work be in a wall? I think so...
 
Inspector Gift said:
Another option that has worked: RAISE THE BEAM TO THE BOTTOM OF FLOOR, and USE JOISTS HANGERS AT THE RAISED BEAM.
Click to expand...

Good idea, but ductwork and plumbing is usually what would stop that.

Bury the beam in partition walls as much as possible, then use door's or cased openings as suggested, and talk with the AHJ.
 
fatboy said:
Good idea, but ductwork and plumbing is usually what would stop that.
Click to expand...
In the one posted picture, it looks like only one exhaust duct in the background. So maybe leave the beam as is for that part of the basement, and raise it for the majority of the space. Not a bad idea overall, it would require a lot of work, taller lally columns, etc, but certainly a doable process.
 
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