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Building codes, permitting, and calculators
Guides to code review and plan check, plus free calculators that show their math.
How to respond to plan check commentsAnswer every plan check comment with the sheet, detail, and clouded change the reviewer needs. Letter format, six response types, and a free response log. Occupant load calculatorCalculate occupant load from floor area with a representative subset of IBC Table 1004.5. Shows the math and cites the code section and edition. Stair riser and tread calculatorCheck a proposed stair’s riser height and tread depth against IBC 1011.5 and 1011.10 for commercial, dwelling-unit, and spiral stairs. ADA ramp slope calculatorCompute ramp slope from rise and run and check it against the ADA 2010 Standards’ 1:12 accessible-route limit, with the existing-building exception. Egress width calculatorCalculate required exit width for doors, corridors, and stairways from occupant load and sprinkler status under IBC Section 1005. Plumbing fixture count requirements, explainedPlumbing fixture counts depend on whether your jurisdiction adopted the IPC or the UPC. See how the two codes structure the requirement. Free construction code calculatorsFour free calculators for occupant load, stair geometry, ADA ramp slope, and egress width, plus why plumbing fixture counts resist a simple one. Yes, it can check your local building codesYes. Upload your jurisdiction’s code PDF or link a public code page, save it once for future projects, and keep it private to your account. How it works.
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Other topics
Construction document review basicsWhat construction document review covers, the vocabulary it uses, and how to prepare a set. Drawing review checklists by disciplineSheet-by-sheet checklists for a single discipline, most with an editable CSV. Cross-discipline coordination guidesWhere consultant documents disagree with each other, and the checks that surface it. Specifications vs. drawings guidesTrace a specification section into the drawings, schedules, and details that have to match it. Comparing drawing revisions and toolsWhat each vendor's own compare feature checks, and the question none of them answer. California permitting and state plan reviewState agency review for schools and healthcare, and private plan review under AB 253. Project delivery and program guidesHow the delivery arrangement decides who reviews what, and at which milestone. Review evidence and evaluationPublished findings, accuracy pilots, and how to prioritise what a review returns.
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