• Welcome to The Building Code Forum

    Your premier resource for building code knowledge.

    This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.

    Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.

    Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.

Sleeping Room with door to exterior

R

Red Stick

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
14
Location
Onaway, MI
I've done some searching, and I haven't found much, so I thought I would give it a try here.

I am working on a project in Michigan (2012 Code), and I am running into fire suppression issues. This is a rural location, with a private water well for a residence. They are adding a separate Bunk House which will have 4 sleeping rooms, each with a door to the exterior. The rooms will sleep a maximum of 8 people each. Is there any exception that will allow this to not be fire suppressed? This Bunk House will be rented on a weekly basis in conjunction with the unattached house as extra bedrooms for the house.

Thanks
Jeremy
 
You might have to look for advice from Michigan specifically, but here if it met the requirements of the IRC, it would not need sprinklers. With 32 people it would likely not meet the IRC and therefore require suppression.
 
Same, can't speak for Michigan, or local folks, but it sure sounds like an IBC R-2 to me, sprinklers required.
 
The codes are not friendly to this setup IMO.

Seems like it might be a good case for the Board of Building Appeals. Fire separate the 4 sleeping rooms add interconnected smoke alarms as an extra safety measure and then get on your knees and beg the BBA. If there is no cooking, and the travel distance from the beds to the door is only a few feet, it seems very safe.

You might double check Chapter 101.2 (Scope) of your state code. In Ohio this section has several exceptions for following the IBC at all including farm buildings and labor camps. I thought some states had exemptions for wilderness cabins?
 
Red Stick said:
I've done some searching, and I haven't found much, so I thought I would give it a try here.

I am working on a project in Michigan (2012 Code), and I am running into fire suppression issues. This is a rural location, with a private water well for a residence. They are adding a separate Bunk House which will have 4 sleeping rooms, each with a door to the exterior. The rooms will sleep a maximum of 8 people each. Is there any exception that will allow this to not be fire suppressed? This Bunk House will be rented on a weekly basis in conjunction with the unattached house as extra bedrooms for the house.

Thanks
Jeremy
Click to expand...


Is the Michigan code on line and free to look at??

If so will you post a link
 
cda said:
Do you have a code section where the requirement is coming from
Click to expand...

Section 903.2.8 Group R. There ia an exceptions are for a camp building under 25 occupants (among other requirements) and Groups R-3 and R-4 for congregate residences with 16 or fewer residents and Adult Foster Care with 6 or fewer residents, respectively.
 
So looks like R-3?

Appears as you say sprinkler reqiuired.

But if R-3 looks like you can do a 13-D system.

So install a self contained unit with small tank and small pump
 
If it falls into the IBC, any residential use requires sprinklers.

[F] 903.2.8 Group R. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area.
 
Part 4. Building Code (2012 Michigan Building Code) As of 4/20/2017 we are on the 2015 MBC
The “camp” exemption was intended to apply to summer camps (5 months or less per year), primarily groups like Boy/Girl Scouts or church camps etc.

Can you do this as a Bed and Breakfast? You may have to connect with a breezeway.

Part 5. Residential Code (2015 Michigan Residential Code)
R101.2. Scope.
2. Owner-occupied bed and breakfast and board and room facilities may be
constructed in accordance with sections 4b and 13c of the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single
state construction code act, 1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1504b and MCL 125.1513c.

125.1504b Bed and breakfast.
Sec. 4b.
(1) A bed and breakfast is considered under the code to be a single family residential structure and shall not be treated as a hotel or other facility serving transient tenants. This section is effective throughout the state without local modification, notwithstanding the exemption provisions of section 8.
(2) This section does not affect local zoning, fire safety, or housing regulations.
(3) As used in this section, “bed and breakfast” means a single family residential structure that meets all of the following criteria:
(a) Has 10 or fewer sleeping rooms, including sleeping rooms occupied by the innkeeper, 1 or more of which are available for rent to transient tenants.
(b) Serves meals at no extra cost to its transient tenants.
(c) Has a smoke detector in proper working order in each sleeping room and a fire extinguisher in proper working order on each floor.
History: Add. 1987, Act 112, Imd. Eff. July 13, 1987 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 292, Imd. Eff. June 19, 1996
Popular Name: Act 230
Popular Name: Uniform Construction Code
 
By pure definition, it definitely sounds like a transient congregate living facility. As such, since there is no custodial care, the only category it fits is R-1. As fatboy pointed out, any R occupancy requires sprinklers, and 903 only allows NFPA 13D systems in R-3 and R-4 occupancies, so at a minimum you're looking at NFPA 13R. With that, you're looking at a listed fire pump and a 30 minute water supply (somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 gallons of water at a minimum). Sounds like it's time to have a meeting with the code official and see what they'll agree to.
 
Consider as an alternate methods and means, non-combustable construction with intumescent finishes/self extinguishing?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top