Warehouse is it a Buisness facility or storage facility?

[shin25]

I have been working on getting a building permit for a 7200 square feet warehouse. The local building official has mentioned that as a part of obtaining a building permit, the drawings need to be stamped by a P.E. and special inspections must be performed. As far as I am concerned, the warehouse is a storage facility and will not require any of these if the floor area is below 15000 sq.feet. Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[csd72]

If there is an office in the warehouse, then you may have problems claiming that.

If not, then maybe a description from the client of the intended activities to take place in the warehouse will convince them.

The building official may claim that the building could be used later for business though.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

You can appeal ----

But remember - the building official is always right ---

maybe not today --- but he will haunt you forever.....

 

[csd72]

Yes thats the problem with local government - no competition.

 

[shin25]

For this case, this warehouse will not be converted into a business facility in future.

csd72 has a good point, I probably shall have someone jot down the activities in the warehouse and use it to convince the building guy.

 

[JAE]

Is the 15,000 sf limit something you know from the state engineering laws in your state? Generally each state has certain prescribed limits as to when an engineering stamp is required.

 

[shin25]

Yes, 15000 sf is the limit by the law of the state that the structure will be located in.

 

[msquared48]

Instead of a ware?house, maybe you couls tell him that it is a hereitishouse. Then you could tell us "That went well".

By the way, I agree with csd72.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

 

[civilperson]

Building officials use criteria of plumbing and bathrooms in the facility to determine the storage vs other.

 

[DonPhillips]

I suggest you get out your code book to see what the BO is talking about. Storage is an S use group and you still have means of egress within the building to content with, as well as meeting the structural requirements of the code. The BO should have issued you an adjudicaton order - unless you have not applied for a permit yet.

Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[shin25]

Here is an update, I guess the building official has the final say and he decided that he rather have the special inspection done. I did not want to argue.

Most of you who responded were right!

 

[registeredpe]

Greetings:

I am not aware of anything in the IBC that would indicate that a structure, based upon square footage or type of occupancy would not require special (structural)inspections. Usually when a project is placed under S.I. by the Building official,it has more to do with the design & construction of said structure. ie., Field welding, high strength bolting, using full allowable stresses in masonry design, height to width ratios of masonry walls,structural concrete with greater than 2,500 psi compressive strength and the list goes on...Please refer to section 1704 of the IBC. for a comprehensive look into this topic. (Pages 328 through 336 in the 2006 edition)

Best regards, registeredpe in AZ

 

[registeredpe]

Greetings:

I realized that I used the wrong word in the first sentence of my previous post. The word "a" should really be "this".


Thanks, registeredpe in AZ

 

[tedamiao]

My understanding based on experience:

It is true that drawings need to be stamped by a P.E.

Special inspection may not be needed depends your project structural design information. For example, if you have field weld or epoxy anchor bolts, you do need special inspection.