building height measurment

[Mac Moonfire]

How do you measure the building height of an A-frame building? apex or half way between apex and average grade?
My planing department has consulted me to see if the BC building code offer any insight on how to measure the building height. Especially for A-frame. Would you consider the A-frame as roof or wall?

This is all I have in mind:
3.2.1.3. and 9.10.1.1. offer a definition of when a roof becomes a wall; a 60 degree incline. However, both start with: “For the purposes of this Section, […]”.
Section 3.2. Building Fire Safety


Section 9.10. Fire Protection



Division A 1.4.1.2. defined term: Building height (in storeys) means the number of storeys contained between the roof and the floor of the first storey.

How we normally measure building height:

 

[Plumb-bob]

The building code measures height in storeys and refers to the height of the first floor above grade.

Zoning bylaws mean the actual height of the building, as in where the peak terminates vertically.

I do not think using the BCBC as a reference will help your planning dept measure a building height.

Our zoning bylaw measures height as 1/2 way between the peak and the eaves, for what its worth.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Plumb-bob is correct. I can't speak to BC, but in my corner of the U.S. zoning regulations are entirely separate from building codes, and each have their own definitions -- which often don't match. As one example, in the town where I used to work, the zoning people called a 3-story building that had a phony "mansard" (appearing) "roof" scabbed onto the exterior perimeter of the third floor a 2-1/2 story building, because the third floor (which was ENTIRELY under a flat roof) was "an attic." There was considerable angst on the part of the architect and the developer when we pointed out that the building code doesn't have any provision for 2-1/2 story buildings, so what they had was a 3-story building.

Sorry, Charlie.

Also, the baseline for measuring building height may differ between building codes and zoning regulations. The building code (in the IBC) uses the "grade plane" as the lower point of measurement. Grade plane is the average grade elevation, but not necessarily at the four (or six, or eight) corners of the building. From the IBC definitions:

[BG] GRADE PLANE. A reference plane representing the
average of finished ground level adjoining the building at
exterior walls. Where the finished ground level slopes away
from the exterior walls, the reference plane shall be established
by the lowest points within the area between the
building and the lot line or, where the lot line is more than 6
feet (1829 mm) from the building, between the building and
a point 6 feet (1829 mm) from the building.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

I'd read deeper into the bylaws or the provincial acts/regulations for definitions. There are significant pitfalls for using the definition derived from one trail of law and using it in another.

It can get even more complicated when you have conflicting definitions. An example from our province: the building regulation has a definition of "accessory" that is in a few cases different from the definition used in various municipal zoning regulations. When there's no conflict, that's fine, but when there is, the more empowered definition - in this case, the provincial building regulation that empowers municipal building bylaws - will prevail.

 

[Plumb-bob]

The big one for us is setbacks. Zoning allows for XX setback depending on the zone, but limiting distance dictates another distance. Also, because of our fire department response time, setbacks often have to be doubled to avoid special construction materials and techniques.

This all results in hard feelings from time to time.

 

[Mac Moonfire]

This all results in hard feelings from time to time.

I hear you, the evil building official trying to make things difficult I've heard that one before too.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

The big one for us is setbacks. Zoning allows for XX setback depending on the zone, but limiting distance dictates another distance. Also, because of our fire department response time, setbacks often have to be doubled to avoid special construction materials and techniques.

This all results in hard feelings from time to time.

Ayhup. I've been there on a few files. Most notable was a massive F3 building that was well the heck back from a property line, but had a meaty exposed building face area and was well removed from fire department response.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

I hear you, the evil building official trying to make things difficult I've heard that one before too.

Heard that in regard to three different projects just today.

Told one of the applicants in early MAY that they would need engineered M/E/P drawings for a major addition to a restaurant. We gave them a foundation-only permit a month or six weeks ago so they could get the foundation in ahead of frost, and reminded them that we are still waiting for engineered M/E/P drawings. Today they called up and complained that if they had known we wanted engineered drawings, they would have provided them months ago.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

Told one of the applicants in early MAY that they would need engineered M/E/P drawings for a major addition to a restaurant. We gave them a foundation-only permit a month or six weeks ago so they could get the foundation in ahead of frost, and reminded them that we are still waiting for engineered M/E/P drawings. Today they called up and complained that if they had known we wanted engineered drawings, they would have provided them months ago.

My policy is that I try to make sure I have email trails of everything that might go south. So I can re-send the email that says, in essence, "neener, neener."

 

[Plumb-bob]

My policy is that I try to make sure I have email trails of everything that might go south. So I can re-send the email that says, in essence, "neener, neener."

I try to do all communications by email, for this reason. I follow up in person or phone calls with an email detailing what was said. Comes in handy quite often.