I was involved with a 2021 IRC modification regarding which stairs and ramps must comply with IRC provisions. 311.7 excludes stairs to nonhabitable attics and crawlspaces. It also excludes stairs "not within or serving a building, deck, or patio". This is meant to address "hardscape" stairs in the landscaping.
Though I supported this modification and it was approved, does not mean I think it's done. Code development is never done. I know of many professionals and jurisdictions that do not agree with this and will be amending it locally to require all exterior stairs to comply, regardless of what they serve or not. That is a message to me that maybe this section needs more work.
So, I made this video specifically to prompt discussion on this topic. It includes a clip from my On-Demand Course, and a walk around of my property to really talk about American homes and reality. I am preparing proposals for the 2024 IRC and I welcome your comments on this subject.
Exterior walking surfaces, ramps, stairs, driveways, patios, porches, decks, concrete slabs, crusher fine pathways, etc, have many names, but what are the humans actually doing on these surfaces and what is the probability of hazard? What makes a concrete ramp from the sidewalk to my deck different than a concrete driveway in the same place. We walk up our driveway just as we would a ramp. So many subjects in the code are hard to interpret consistently when we get to these outdoor features, and that makes things very difficult for dreaming homeowners and the contractors and designers trying to serve them.
One comment I have heard is that there should be a fully compliant path from the required egress door to the public way, and if there are stairs within that path then even if separated by sidewalk and yard, it is "serving" the building. Maybe "serving" is not the correct term.
Let's talk! Code development takes a village!
Though I supported this modification and it was approved, does not mean I think it's done. Code development is never done. I know of many professionals and jurisdictions that do not agree with this and will be amending it locally to require all exterior stairs to comply, regardless of what they serve or not. That is a message to me that maybe this section needs more work.
So, I made this video specifically to prompt discussion on this topic. It includes a clip from my On-Demand Course, and a walk around of my property to really talk about American homes and reality. I am preparing proposals for the 2024 IRC and I welcome your comments on this subject.
Exterior walking surfaces, ramps, stairs, driveways, patios, porches, decks, concrete slabs, crusher fine pathways, etc, have many names, but what are the humans actually doing on these surfaces and what is the probability of hazard? What makes a concrete ramp from the sidewalk to my deck different than a concrete driveway in the same place. We walk up our driveway just as we would a ramp. So many subjects in the code are hard to interpret consistently when we get to these outdoor features, and that makes things very difficult for dreaming homeowners and the contractors and designers trying to serve them.
One comment I have heard is that there should be a fully compliant path from the required egress door to the public way, and if there are stairs within that path then even if separated by sidewalk and yard, it is "serving" the building. Maybe "serving" is not the correct term.
Let's talk! Code development takes a village!