Minimum Plumbing Fixture Calculations - CA

[JPohling]

Quick question. I think we are good but wanted other opinions as it is not what we typically do. Building is from perhaps the late 60's. 5 floors. Ground floor is retail and restaurant and have their own restrooms that serve those uses. The upper 4 floors are all office use. Owner is proposing remodel of all common area restrooms on the office levels. The restroom footprints will be enlarged to provide full accessibility, but the total area available for restrooms is bound by electrical rooms.

If I calculate minimum plumbing fixtures by floor where I can only fit 3 WC's in the women's room I would be required to have 4 WC's. not possible. (56 women occupants)

If I calculate minimum plumbing fixtures by the gross area of the 4 floors that would require 11 WC's. I can provide 12 spread out on the 4 floors (3 on each floor) so that would satisfy the minimum plumbing fixture calculations. There would be an accessible WC on each floor.

I have no issue with the men's calculations.

I do not see any code language that would require the minimum fixtures be calculated on a per floor basis. The language in CBC 422.0 is "provided for the type of building occupancy". Accessibility language indicates you can circulate to other floors for the accessible restrooms, which would not be required.

I really think this is typical for calculating entire buildings, and this is an accepted method.

But I would like to know if I am overlooking something? Thank you.

 

[steveray]

What makes you think you need to put in more than what was there? Or are you decreasing because of the added accessibility?

But yes...it does not typically need to be by floor as I think we just discussed in another thread....

 

[JPohling]

Way back in the day San Diego did not adopt 422.0 specifically to allow the removal of WC's to make room for the large accessible stalls. This building had already done that many years ago. That loophole has been closed for many years. The rooms are being enlarged for accessibility clearances.

We prefer to bring buildings up to current code when doing renovations.

 

[princeofpen]

You are permitted to go up or down one floor to a restroom so go gross and verify available by going up or down

 

[mark handler]

I would accept your restrooms to be on separate floors, IF all the floors were accessible all the time the lower floors (restaurant) has customers.
place a sign indicating the location of the other restrooms...

 

[JPohling]

All floors are accessible. All restrooms on each floor are readily available at all times. All floors have accessible men's and women's stalls. It is only the total WC's being provided for females that is lower due to calculating the minimum plumbing fixtures using the building gross square footage rather than calculating each floor separately. We are good

 

[Yikes]

You are permitted to go up or down one floor to a restroom so go gross and verify available by going up or down

https://up.codes/viewer/california/...lumbing-fixtures-and-fixture-fittings#422.4.1https://up.codes/viewer/california/...lumbing-fixtures-and-fixture-fittings#422.4.1
CPC 422.4.1 Access to Toilet Facilities

In multi-story buildings, accessibility to the required toilet facilities shall not exceed one vertical story. Access to the required toilet facilities for customers shall not pass through areas designated as for employee use only such as kitchens, food preparation areas, storage rooms, closets, or similar spaces. Toilet facilities accessible only to private offices shall not be counted to determine compliance with this section.​

In my opinion, based on this code section, I would allow:

• 4th floor calculations based on the total available restroom fixtures on floors 3 and 4
• 3rd floor calculations based on the total available restroom fixtures on floors 2, 3 and 4
• 2nd floor calculations based on the total available restroom fixtures on floors 1, 2 and 3
• 1st floor calculations based on the total available restroom fixtures on floors 1 and 2