hate to say it, but you have to read the code book.
follow it through, paragraph by paragraph as it applies to your project. do that about a million times, and then you might get good at it.
when the people around you just know the code, don't think that means you're supposed to just know it too. read the book. even the stuff you know. double check and verify. that's the best way. that's the only way that i know of.
Curt is right, but there are steps you take while you walk a building through the code. First locate the buildings occupancy and use. Then the construction type. These tell you how big it can be. Then sprinklers or no, and other height and area expansions. This is the basic definition of your building. Then, you look at shaft reqmts and various fire rated separations. Then, exit paths, stairs-the ways out of the building. Draw a code plan and do notes for all of the code requirements.
Then drill deeper into the code for other requirements. Take detailed notes. Mostly you need chapters 3-10 in the IBC.
Good luck s=. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the plot is almost non-existent, and the character development is weak. It's a very dry read.
Building Codes Illustrated is a series of books by Ching that are an excellent starting point for learning how to work with IBC codes. They are worth every penny for people just starting out with building codes. The annotated versions of the IBC and NFPA codes are also helpful as they have explanatory text next to the code sections themselves. The Code Corner website also has some nice free articles that guide you through the code analysis process as well.
If you work at a firm, or know someone who does, they usually have a standardized form for code review. The form most often follows the steps outlined by gruen and then drills down into specifics by occupancy and building type. Familiarize yourself with the form (possibly several versions of a code review form). Fill it out for a few projects, maybe practice by filling out an empty form for a completed project and comparing it to the one prepared for the project.
As others have said it takes practice to learn the organization and language of the codes. A legal degree doesn't hurt either.
Dec 9, 13 11:07 am ·
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The key to a good code review starts with boring buildings. Mind numbing banality should improve efficacitie in code reeveiw.
On the backside, a good knowledge of the code and its relationship to your building will help you walk a plan reviewer through your project quickly and get your owner a permit fast.
Can't believe no one mentioned "expediting". I learned pretty much everything about permitting in front of the plan reviewers and the number one rule was keep your mouth shut unless spoken to and be as RESPECTFUL as you can be towards your reviewer(s). They hold all the keys, and being a decent human being can mean the difference between getting your permit issued and having to revise your stupid spelling errors in CAD instead of as redlines on the permit set, burning a whole day's worth of billable hours to fix a simple error simply because your examiner didn't like you.
Get to know the plan reviewers you work with the most and what makes them tick. Fire guys are always hyper paranoid about egress and keeping your partition designs as close to the UL standards as possible. Structural gals tend like lots of redundancy and lots and lots of math so have your PE show as much work as possible. General plan reviewers are really focused on occupancy class, egress, zoning, and accessibility issues. These days energy effeciency is a big deal, so make sure your conditioned space and unconditioned spaces are seperated as per code. Do not waste your time in the code book, learn the basics, and be prepared to get schooled by the examiner on EVERYTHING else. They are the Gods of their realms, treat them as such and thou shalt receive thy permit with minimal hassle.
Always remember no one is above the chief plan examiner, and they are never, EVER wrong in their own eyes.
Dec 9, 13 6:27 pm ·
·
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GETTING BETTER AT CODE REVIEW
HOW DO I GET EVEN BETTER AT CODE REVIEW?
hate to say it, but you have to read the code book.
follow it through, paragraph by paragraph as it applies to your project. do that about a million times, and then you might get good at it.
when the people around you just know the code, don't think that means you're supposed to just know it too. read the book. even the stuff you know. double check and verify. that's the best way. that's the only way that i know of.
Then drill deeper into the code for other requirements. Take detailed notes. Mostly you need chapters 3-10 in the IBC.
Practice.
Put tabs on the most important and most often referenced parts like the occupancy and egress stuff and tabs at each chapter.
Thank u very much everyone, i am taking your advice & running with it!!
Good luck s=. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the plot is almost non-existent, and the character development is weak. It's a very dry read.
Building Codes Illustrated is a series of books by Ching that are an excellent starting point for learning how to work with IBC codes. They are worth every penny for people just starting out with building codes. The annotated versions of the IBC and NFPA codes are also helpful as they have explanatory text next to the code sections themselves. The Code Corner website also has some nice free articles that guide you through the code analysis process as well.
If you work at a firm, or know someone who does, they usually have a standardized form for code review. The form most often follows the steps outlined by gruen and then drills down into specifics by occupancy and building type. Familiarize yourself with the form (possibly several versions of a code review form). Fill it out for a few projects, maybe practice by filling out an empty form for a completed project and comparing it to the one prepared for the project.
As others have said it takes practice to learn the organization and language of the codes. A legal degree doesn't hurt either.
The key to a good code review starts with boring buildings. Mind numbing banality should improve efficacitie in code reeveiw.
Can't believe no one mentioned "expediting". I learned pretty much everything about permitting in front of the plan reviewers and the number one rule was keep your mouth shut unless spoken to and be as RESPECTFUL as you can be towards your reviewer(s). They hold all the keys, and being a decent human being can mean the difference between getting your permit issued and having to revise your stupid spelling errors in CAD instead of as redlines on the permit set, burning a whole day's worth of billable hours to fix a simple error simply because your examiner didn't like you.
Get to know the plan reviewers you work with the most and what makes them tick. Fire guys are always hyper paranoid about egress and keeping your partition designs as close to the UL standards as possible. Structural gals tend like lots of redundancy and lots and lots of math so have your PE show as much work as possible. General plan reviewers are really focused on occupancy class, egress, zoning, and accessibility issues. These days energy effeciency is a big deal, so make sure your conditioned space and unconditioned spaces are seperated as per code. Do not waste your time in the code book, learn the basics, and be prepared to get schooled by the examiner on EVERYTHING else. They are the Gods of their realms, treat them as such and thou shalt receive thy permit with minimal hassle.
Always remember no one is above the chief plan examiner, and they are never, EVER wrong in their own eyes.
Block this user
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