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Fire Barrier Codes

O

ode007

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
9
Location
United States
Hey Everyone,

I have a few questions for you if you would be willing to help me out. We are in the process of building shop condos. So basically 6 storage units at 35'x55' with a total square footage of 13400. One of the units is a double unit at 55x70. Each unit will be sold off but the land is not technically owned by the people that buy the unit, it is owned by the condo association. Our issue right now is that our plans went through the building inspector and we told him from the start that they would be sold not leased. So what he told us was that we need to have a 2 hour fire wall near the middle of the building to technically split it in to two buildings. Which we have. He came out the other day to check on things and took back what he first said and told us that we have to have fire walls on every demising wall between each unit because they were being sold. The problem is that we have the ceiling up and we are nearing the finish stages. The ceiling we have is steel paneling and then all demising walls are 5/8 type x and above every demising wall we have osb draft stops. To change each wall would cost us a small fortune.

One of the guys here is helping me but I am looking for a little more help in finding a specific code that shows that is not needed. The building is occupancy group S-2, construction type V.B.
 
He is wrong. Ask him for the code section.

A "condo" is a real estate term not a building code term.

The very nature of a condo does not create property lines.

One wall was all you needed to avoid sprinklers

What code are you under and what state so others may be able to be more helpful to you
 
Is he the head guy in the building dept??

If not suggest a set down with the head person and discuss it .

I am not a condo person, so not sure how ownership works.

Maybe suggest one hour walls and ceiling. ???

That way just need to add some sheet rock?
 
cda said:
Is he the head guy in the building dept??If not suggest a set down with the head person and discuss it .

I am not a condo person, so not sure how ownership works.

Maybe suggest one hour walls and ceiling. ???

That way just need to add some sheet rock?
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We will have 5/8 x installed on all of the walls up to the ceiling panels. The ceiling panels are steel and already installed. We wouldnt be able to do a fire barrier without removing the ceiling.
 
ode007 said:
We will have 5/8 x installed on all of the walls up to the ceiling panels. The ceiling panels are steel and already installed. We wouldnt be able to do a fire barrier without removing the ceiling.
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I was suggesting adding one or two layers to either ceiling or walls, to make them one or two hour.

So all walls make a one or two hour envelope
 
They will all be 1 hour walls after drywall is done. The building has a pitched roof so the inspector says that the trusses have to have type x or the ceiling has to be fire rated to create the envelope.
 
So the garage ceiling can be one hour and the inspector will be happy??

If so just add sheet rock to the ceiling

Still would talk to inspectors boss, if there is one, prior to doing anything
 
Well thats the problem. We have steel for the ceiling. We would have to replace all the steel with sheet rock and lose out on all the money spent on the steel.
 
A couple of issues; SD has subdivision map laws that define condominium ownership boundaries and property lines. Verify from the condo maps if the ownership boundaries are property lines or just boundaries. If property lines, then fire barriers are necessary even though the land below is common ownership. If boundaries, then the structure can be viewed as a whole similar to a multi-tenant building.
 
jdfruit said:
A couple of issues; SD has subdivision map laws that define condominium ownership boundaries and property lines. Verify from the condo maps if the ownership boundaries are property lines or just boundaries. If property lines, then fire barriers are necessary even though the land below is common ownership. If boundaries, then the structure can be viewed as a whole similar to a multi-tenant building.
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In this area we do not have them, it would be like a multi tenant building. So what I am looking for is something that I can take to the inspector to show him that what he had told us is wrong.
 
As stated by someone else,

Ask for either building code section or other city ordinance and get the exact wording

So you can see what it says/required

And if you want to post it here post away,,,, make the city prove it is required

Basically if it is not written it is not so. Not because I want it, flys

If required still do not understand why sheet rock cannot be attached to underside of roof to form one hour enclosure ???
 
It sounds like this is one building on one lot and no rated walls are required.

Condo units or even condo lots do not matter. All of the land and building belongs to the condo association and only the air space within the units are sold.
 
Other than dwelling unit separations, I don't think there are any other specifics on fire rated "tenant separation" in the IBC. Only separating uses and getting out of sprinklers and such...I would say your inspector is wrong. Ask for a code section and why it made it through plan review.
 
First rule of Code Enforcement... if you are going to write it, be ready to cite it.

Absolutely ask for the applicable section of Code or Local Law/Amendment. Any good Code Official will gladly provide it upon request.
 
JBI said:
First rule of Code Enforcement... if you are going to write it, be ready to cite it. Absolutely ask for the applicable section of Code or Local Law/Amendment. Any good Code Official will gladly provide it upon request.
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Just not immediately upon request...let me get to a code book first.... :) Let me use yours Mr. Contractor, Oh...You don't have one? I guess I win....
 
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