Classification of Work within the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) might sound like a boring task, though understanding the nuances of how a project is classified changes which chapter of the IEBC applies, which could drastically affect scope and cost of a project. Completing a structural code review in concert with managing the scope of a project can lead to a scenario where significant structural interventions can be avoided. At LeMessurier, we impact a project by how much can be achieved with the least structural cost, and not by how much structural work we can introduce to a project’s scope. Sometimes our biggest value is by providing a project team a path that minimizes our own involvement.
The IEBC specifies project requirements based on whether the work is an Addition, an Alteration or a Repair – the required structural evaluations (and interventions) are in descending order of intensity.
Addition – An extension or increase in floor area, number of stories, or height of a building or structure.
Alteration – Any construction or renovation to an existing building other than a repair or an addition.
Repair – The reconstruction, replacement or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance or to correct damage.
Broadly speaking, an addition is often the most invasive and requires that all new structural members – and all the members supporting new construction – be designed for present-day loading, even if the building is very old. A repair is often less rigorous, and allows for a damaged structural member to be restored to its pre-damage condition which considers the loading at the time of original construction. An alteration is usually in between these two extremes and depends on how extensive the scope of the renovation is (referred to in ascending order as Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3). Level 1 is updating old materials (carpet, mechanical units, roof membrane) and Level 3 could be a full gut renovation down to the studs. Determination of the level of alteration could be its own article, but this will suffice here.
Of course, the IEBC provides a wide array of exceptions, limits and escapes for each of these classifications – and knowing these limits and how even small changes in a project scope can radically change the amount of structural work required to meet the requirements of the IEBC can influence project schedule and budget. While the definitions provided above are straight from the Code and sound simple enough, real world projects are rarely quite as straightforward. This article serves as background to a longer – interactive – discussion around how we classify work in an existing building.
You may have already seen the introductory post on our LinkedIn, but if you haven’t – please check it out! Over the coming weeks, we will be publishing (on LinkedIn and here on our website) a series of poll questions with scenarios of varying complexity that will challenge how you think about the IEBC and how projects are classified – thus defining the scope of structural interventions. Check back next week for our thoughts on the first poll question, and continue to check in weekly for more detailed descriptions of this important topic! We’ll show you how LeMessurier’s deep understanding of the Code can help steer a project in the right direction to avoid unnecessary work and expense.