Number of ADA bathrooms required for office remodel

[reziarchitect]

Im working on a 2,460 SF office remodel in California and have some questions about the number of ADA bathrooms required for the project. CPC fixture counts calls out for 2 bathrooms required. Also, its my understanding that ADA requires two bathrooms (one for each gender) if the office space is less than 2,500 SF. Can I provide one unisex ADA bathroom to comply with the ADA requirements and one non-ADA standard bathroom? Thanks.

 

[Sifu]

Im working on a 2,460 SF office remodel in California and have some questions about the number of ADA bathrooms required for the project. CPC fixture counts calls out for 2 bathrooms required. Also, its my understanding that ADA requires two bathrooms (one for each gender) if the office space is less than 2,500 SF. Can I provide one unisex ADA bathroom to comply with the ADA requirements and one non-ADA standard bathroom? Thanks.

Not a CA guy but I would say no. Typically all fixtures and toilet rooms provided must be accessible, so if you provide two, they should both be accessible. I don't think our codes (ICC) allow the number of required fixtures to be reduced by the non-gender specific provisions. In other words if one men's and one women's is required then two total are still required, call them whatever you want. Some have tried on me in the past, and that may eventually change, but I don't think it is allowed now unless by exception. Not sure about your numbers or your code, but IPC would only require separate facilities for an office space with an OL over 25, though that is a new 2018 exception. Not sure about the ADA having a different requirement for number of fixtures. Wait a few minutes, there are some serious experts on this forum that can probably provide better direction.

 

[mtlogcabin]

As far as I know the ADA does not determine the number of fixtures required the plumbing or building code does.
Did Ca amend this section
2018 UPC

 

[Ed Cooke]

First, please remember that California does not enforce ADA. It has its own Chapters in the Building Code, 11A and 11B, which manage the accessible restroom configurations. Second, an office as you state is most likely a B occupancy which is calculated, as "mtlogcabin" noted in CPC 422.2, by the Plumbing code. It's Table A shows a B as 200 sq. ft. per occupant. 2460 by 200 equals way less than 50, so one restroom required.

 

[MtnArch]

Also check out the calculators that Ara Sargsyan has created here: https://ara4help.com/
The current ones expire on the 31st but hopefully he'll upload newer ones that expire at the end of 2022.

 

[reziarchitect]

Ok thanks for the help Ed Cooke. So it looks like I can do one unisex bathroom as long as I comply with CBC sections 11A and 11B?

 

[reziarchitect]

If we want to provide a second bathroom, would the second one also have to comply with CBC section 11A and 11B?

 

[mtlogcabin]

Not if they are both identified as unisex and clustered together
1109.2 Toilet and bathing facilities.
Each toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible. Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only toilet rooms or bathing rooms provided within the facility shall not be located on the inaccessible floor. Except as provided for in Sections 1109.2.2 and 1109.2.3, at least one of each type of fixture, element, control or dispenser in each accessible toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible.

Exceptions:

3. Where multiple single-user toilet rooms or bathing rooms are clustered at a single location, at least 50 percent but not less than one room for each use at each cluster shall be accessible.

 

[Ed Cooke]

Not if they are both identified as unisex and clustered together
1109.2 Toilet and bathing facilities.
Each toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible. Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only toilet rooms or bathing rooms provided within the facility shall not be located on the inaccessible floor. Except as provided for in Sections 1109.2.2 and 1109.2.3, at least one of each type of fixture, element, control or dispenser in each accessible toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible.

Exceptions:

3. Where multiple single-user toilet rooms or bathing rooms are clustered at a single location, at least 50 percent but not less than one room for each use at each cluster shall be accessible.

Good Morning, the 2019 CBC section is 11B-213.2 exception #4.

 

[reziarchitect]

Got it. Thanks guys!

 

[reziarchitect]

Now this is probably an easy one for you guys, but what CBC section would I have to follow/comply with to design this second bathroom? Im trying to make this second bathroom as small as possible. Thanks.