I’m a full time geologist who builds houses for re-sale. Over the last ten years I’ve built six houses, some of which I sell new and some of which I live in for a year or so and then sell. I’ve heard that there is going to be a new BC building code soon and I’d really appreciate it if you could give me a “heads-up” on some of the bigger changes coming our way in the new year.

Part 2

Last week we covered some of the new 2006 Building Code changes that affect the way we will be building all exterior decks, balconies, verandas and elevated walkways. One detail that was not mentioned in that discussion was the substantial increased cost you should anticipate for deck construction to meet these new minimum requirements. The good news is that some of the new Code changes will decrease construction costs.   

For instance, the old Code requirements to have windows in all living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms has been deleted in the 2006 Code. This means you no longer have to install windows whose sizes were specified by the square footage of the room they served. In fact, for better or worse, you won’t have to install any windows in any room at all; provided you meet the Code requirements for natural room ventilation in some other way (ventilation grills etc). Even the bedroom egress window can be omitted if the room is sprinklered or it has a door to the exterior. However, if you install an egress window in a bedroom, the new Code specifies that the window must be openable for escape without having to remove any sash or window opening hardware. This means that window manufacturers will no longer be allowed to locate scissor hardware for bedroom windows in the path-of-travel through the window opening.

Here are a few significant changes to room design that you may want to consider in your floor plan designs. The Code now relaxes the natural ventilation requirements by allowing any  room to be combined with another room (“combination room”) for the purposes of drawing its natural light (not required) and natural ventilation from an adjacent room, provided the wall opening between the two rooms is at least 3 square metres. If one portion of this “combination room” is a bedroom it may be possible to have the required emergency bedroom egress through a door in the other portion of the adjacent room. I’m sure the Building Code Appeal Board will be busy with requests for a decision on this one. As well, minimum ceiling heights in all rooms have been reduced to 2.1 metres (6’-11”) and 2 meters (6’-7”) in unfinished basements. It is also interesting to note that since 1998 the Code no longer specifies minimum room sizes for bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.  Which reminds me, the Code no longer requires a door on a bathroom. Now, the only required door in any residential building is the door to the exterior. Stay tuned for more Code changes next week