Glennman CBO
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2009
- Messages
- 441
2009 IRC, section 311.3.1.
From what I understand in the evolution of building codes from the UBC to the I-Codes, the regulated portions of the means of egress went from regulating egress from a dwelling all the way to the "public way", to (in the I-Codes) simply the "exterior of the dwelling" (section 311.1), and extends from the dwelling to "grade" from the required egress landing (section 311-3-1).
I would say then that any stairs or ramps that are added from a grade height required egress landing, down a hill to another level at or adjacent to the public way, is none of our concern (?)
What is "grade" here? Is a landing considered "at grade" if it's top surface is 3" above the surrounding dirt?
At issue here is when the requirements attached to exterior ramps or stairs are applicable. The landing referred to above is 3" above the surrounding dirt (this is all hypothetical). The dwelling is on a steep hill. There are steep slopes away from this landing, and the builder has installed a sloped sidewalk or stairs away from the 3" elevated landing, that also have various heights above grade (say 2" to 6"). Since none of these are level with the surrounding dirt, or literally "at grade", then it would appear that all the requirements of section R311 apply.
This is only a portion of a discussion we had on this subject this morning. What was actually discussed is when a sloped sidewalk in front of a dwelling is no longer a sidewalk, but is to be viewed as a ramp, hence, requiring a permit, from section R105.
Understanding section R311.3.1 is a part of it.
From what I understand in the evolution of building codes from the UBC to the I-Codes, the regulated portions of the means of egress went from regulating egress from a dwelling all the way to the "public way", to (in the I-Codes) simply the "exterior of the dwelling" (section 311.1), and extends from the dwelling to "grade" from the required egress landing (section 311-3-1).
I would say then that any stairs or ramps that are added from a grade height required egress landing, down a hill to another level at or adjacent to the public way, is none of our concern (?)
What is "grade" here? Is a landing considered "at grade" if it's top surface is 3" above the surrounding dirt?
At issue here is when the requirements attached to exterior ramps or stairs are applicable. The landing referred to above is 3" above the surrounding dirt (this is all hypothetical). The dwelling is on a steep hill. There are steep slopes away from this landing, and the builder has installed a sloped sidewalk or stairs away from the 3" elevated landing, that also have various heights above grade (say 2" to 6"). Since none of these are level with the surrounding dirt, or literally "at grade", then it would appear that all the requirements of section R311 apply.
This is only a portion of a discussion we had on this subject this morning. What was actually discussed is when a sloped sidewalk in front of a dwelling is no longer a sidewalk, but is to be viewed as a ramp, hence, requiring a permit, from section R105.
Understanding section R311.3.1 is a part of it.