Guide · Code reference

Free construction code calculators

Four numbers come up on almost every project: how many people a room holds, whether a stair or ramp meets its dimensional limits, and how wide an exit needs to be. Each calculator below shows its math and names the code section and edition behind it.

These are four calculators — occupant load, stair riser and tread, ADA ramp slope, and egress width — built from a verified subset of IBC and ADA figures, plus an explainer on why plumbing fixture counts do not get a fifth calculator. Every tool is a reference estimate, not a code determination; confirm the applicable edition and any local amendments with your local building department.

Before you use any of these: what they are and are not

Every calculator on this site is a reference and estimating tool, not a code determination. Each one applies a verified, deliberately limited set of IBC or ADA figures to the numbers you enter, and each shows its math and cites the exact code section and edition it draws from. None of them knows your project’s adopted code edition, local amendments, or occupancy classification. Confirm the applicable requirements with your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) before relying on any result.

The four calculators

Free construction code calculatorsSwipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
CalculatorCode source and editionWhat it checks
Occupant loadIBC Table 1004.5 (2021/2024 IBC)Floor area ÷ a per-function factor, for one space at a time
Stair riser and treadIBC 1011.5 and 1011.10 (2021/2024 IBC)Proposed riser height and tread depth against commercial, dwelling-unit, or spiral stair limits, including flight uniformity
ADA ramp slopeADA 2010 Standards §405 / IBC 1012Rise ÷ run against the 1:12 accessible-route limit, plus the existing-building alteration exception
Egress widthIBC 1005 (2021/2024 IBC)Occupant load × a capacity factor for doors, corridors, or stairways, checked against the applicable minimum

Occupant load calculator · Stair riser and tread calculator · ADA ramp slope calculator · Egress width calculator

The one that is not a calculator, on purpose

A fifth topic, plumbing fixture counts, is not built as a calculator here. The underlying IPC and UPC fixture-ratio tables were not verified against a primary source during research for this batch, so no specific fixture-count number is asserted anywhere on this site. Instead, this explainer covers how the IPC and UPC differ, why California’s plumbing code uses its own occupant-load table, and where to find the current, verified numbers.

Where Groundbook fits

Groundbook’s document review reads a project’s code analysis sheet and compares the dimensions, schedules, and stated requirements on your drawings against the building code sources you upload for the review, flagging where they appear inconsistent — see how Groundbook checks local building codes and the building code compliance review. These calculators are standalone reference tools for the numbers themselves; a Groundbook review checks whether the numbers already on your drawings agree with each other and with the code sources you supply.

Questions, answered

FAQs

Are these calculators a substitute for a code review?

No. Each one applies a limited, verified set of code figures to the numbers you enter and shows its math. They do not know your project’s adopted edition, local amendments, or occupancy classification — confirm those with your Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Why is there no plumbing fixture count calculator?

The IPC and UPC fixture-ratio tables were not verified against a primary source for this batch of pages, so no specific number is published here. See the plumbing fixture count explainer for what is verified: the jurisdictional split and the general table structure.

What code editions do these calculators use?

The 2021 and 2024 International Building Code for occupant load, stairs, and egress width, and the ADA 2010 Standards for Accessible Design (matched by IBC’s ramp provisions) for ramp slope. Each calculator’s own page names its exact section.

Do these calculators work without JavaScript?

No. Each one computes its result in your browser as you enter numbers, so JavaScript needs to be enabled for the calculator to produce a result.

Bring your next set into focus

Set up a review or talk through your project with our team.