Mostly Underground House

[WHirsch]

Lew, you missed the point.

The '06 IRC requires that "basements and every sleeping room" have emergency egress openings. The requirement in the earlier IRC versions (2000 and 2003) covered "basements with habitable space and every sleeping room". This is different from the requirements for above grade floors, which only require egress openings for "sleeping rooms". Very few uses are excluded from the broad definition of "habitable space", but one could have been exempt from the requirement by making the case that the basement was for storage, mechanical, and utilities only.

The new code language is more restrictive. Emergency egress is now required for basement space (with exception for basements that are solely used as mechanical rooms and smaller than 200 SF) even if it is not "habitable space". So regardless of the intended use of the space, an emergency escape opening is required for a basement.

That said, I think that most BO's would not allow a structure with more than one below grade story to be permitted under the IRC. The code was not intended to address the issues that can arise from that sort of design.

What is enforced is a function of the local policies and adoptions, but I don't think many adopting authorities have modified the language of this particular (R310.1) code section. Not everyone is on the same code at all, which is why knowledge of the local regs is as important as a general knowledge of the IRC.

Just keep in mind that the local inspector/plans examiner is not liable for the designer or builders failure to meet the code's minimum requirements, but his errors and omissions don't absolve you of that liability. Because you took the furniture off the floor plan doesn't mean a space was not intended to be "habitable" or bedroom space. That line of defense wouldn't get far in an ugly lawsuit

[lbuttery]

Lew, you missed the point


Warren:


I understand the point very well.


The codes can and has changed and is being enforced at vary levels, some jurisdications are not on 2006, etc and did not have that requirement before. Many around here now do.


You are correct this project would probably have to be done under the IBC codes.


Lew