City codes

[nes1993]

If a potential costumer comes to you wanting a staircase replaced and it’s obvious that the old staircase is old and out of code, do you look up the city codes and just make sure what you are building is within code? Or do you have the costumer get with an architect to design the new stairs and railings and all you have to do is build and install?


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[Freebirdwelds]

If a potential costumer comes to you wanting a staircase replaced and it’s obvious that the old staircase is old and out of code, do you look up the city codes and just make sure what you are building is within code? Or do you have the costumer get with an architect to design the new stairs and railings and all you have to do is build and install?


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Wait.....What?
If your doing or thinking of doing code work and don't have a code book...............
If your thinking of doing a staircase and wonder if you need an Architect to design it for you.............

How and the hell would we know what you can or can't do?
Usually the more you do on any project......the more you get paid.
I don't know...... this is what you get when I spend 7 hours outside in 95º heat welding.............

[user 9328330]

I check and be sure the locality uses the IBC and then I build to those standards using the newest version of it. If anything at all seems fishy about the buyer or the installation itself, I tell them to bring me some prints of what they want done. That usually shuts those type of people down.

[user 9328330]

PS - Just yanking your chain, but I don't have any "costumers." Customers now, I do have some of those.

[Willie B]

Wait.....What?
If your doing or thinking of doing code work and don't have a code book...............
If your thinking of doing a staircase and wonder if you need an Architect to design it for you.............

How and the hell would we know what you can or can't do?
Usually the more you do on any project......the more you get paid.
I don't know...... this is what you get when I spend 7 hours outside in 95º heat welding.............

You study the code book. If you are like me you study the code book & the electrical code book has 15 different articles addressing your project, some not indexed. I call the inspector, explain I want to do this once, I don't want to do it twice at my own expense. If he's in a good mood he will offer advice.

The whole purpose of bid work is you the sub contractor fixes the problem at your expense. I see it as similar to me going to a casino, best case scenario; I break even.

Cover your a$$ & don't hope an architect will be a help. In my MANY years, architects have ideas. It's my job to comply with code.

[smithdoor]

I know this work and it can be a big pain for new guy.
The building departments in some locations you be cert and working for license shop to do work.
Typically needs a license engineer stamp on the drawings too.
In California the code is 250 pounds per square foot load.

Dave

If a potential costumer comes to you wanting a staircase replaced and it’s obvious that the old staircase is old and out of code, do you look up the city codes and just make sure what you are building is within code? Or do you have the costumer get with an architect to design the new stairs and railings and all you have to do is build and install?


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[LtBadd]

I wouldn't want to be responsible for the design, is this customer a business? Then let them provide
the design/drawings, they should also tell you what code it needs to comply with.

Your job is to build what they want, if there are any changes after the project starts that would be $$ on top of the quote,
same if an inspector required any modifications. All of these details would be called out in your quote, leave
nothing to assumed.

Do you have liability insurance?

[Brett]

If a potential costumer comes to you wanting a staircase replaced and it’s obvious that the old staircase is old and out of code, do you look up the city codes and just make sure what you are building is within code? Or do you have the costumer get with an architect to design the new stairs and railings and all you have to do is build and install?


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Staircases and Balustrades are what we do .
We are located in Australia , we have Codes ie the BCA (Building Code of Australia) and AS's (Australian Standards) . You would have your ones . I would be suprised if they were not very similar .
Simply put if you dont know your relevant Codes , how can you price the job ? , you cant guess the specs .
When your starting out , sure your not going to know them all off by heart , but the first few are going to involve study and learning the relevent Standards .
Ask Q's , ring up old bosses , speak to mates and blokes who do know what they are doing and can point you in the right direction for you to educate yourself , ring suppliers They are all sources of info .
Over here you will also need to be Qualified, Licenced and have your Insurances , I dare say it would be the same over your way .
If this is a ordinary sized domestic job , an Architect or Engineer are rarel involved . If they are and have drawings , well a lot of the work has been done for you . However you still need to know the Codes to ensure you are doing it correctly .
To tender on a job you would need to have a fair idea of what you are doing , before you started looking a Codes you have never dealt with .

[smithdoor]

Knowing Building Codes is how you make money.

For most part the owner what's you to deal with building department and the will pay you the money for that service.

In steel on buildings everything take a license engineer, Calcs and a set if drawings. Unless it is in ag buildings.

Dave

Staircases and Balustrades are what we do .
We are located in Australia , we have Codes ie the BCA (Building Code of Australia) and AS's (Australian Standards) . You would have your ones . I would be suprised if they were not very similar .
Simply put if you dont know your relevant Codes , how can you price the job ? , you cant guess the specs .
When your starting out , sure your not going to know them all off by heart , but the first few are going to involve study and learning the relevent Standards .
Ask Q's , ring up old bosses , speak to mates and blokes who do know what they are doing and can point you in the right direction for you to educate yourself , ring suppliers They are all sources of info .
Over here you will also need to be Qualified, Licenced and have your Insurances , I dare say it would be the same over your way .
If this is a ordinary sized domestic job , an Architect or Engineer are rarel involved . If they are and have drawings , well a lot of the work has been done for you . However you still need to know the Codes to ensure you are doing it correctly .
To tender on a job you would need to have a fair idea of what you are doing , before you started looking a Codes you have never dealt with .

[smithdoor]

If I had it all over to do again I would not work on buildings or any thing to do with building Codes. I would only do earth moving equipment welding and repair.

Most welders want building work and keeps the price down.

Dave

Staircases and Balustrades are what we do .
We are located in Australia , we have Codes ie the BCA (Building Code of Australia) and AS's (Australian Standards) . You would have your ones . I would be suprised if they were not very similar .
Simply put if you dont know your relevant Codes , how can you price the job ? , you cant guess the specs .
When your starting out , sure your not going to know them all off by heart , but the first few are going to involve study and learning the relevent Standards .
Ask Q's , ring up old bosses , speak to mates and blokes who do know what they are doing and can point you in the right direction for you to educate yourself , ring suppliers They are all sources of info .
Over here you will also need to be Qualified, Licenced and have your Insurances , I dare say it would be the same over your way .
If this is a ordinary sized domestic job , an Architect or Engineer are rarel involved . If they are and have drawings , well a lot of the work has been done for you . However you still need to know the Codes to ensure you are doing it correctly .
To tender on a job you would need to have a fair idea of what you are doing , before you started looking a Codes you have never dealt with .

[Brett]

Knowing Building Codes is how you make money.

For most part the owner what's you to deal with building department and the will pay you the money for that service.

In steel on buildings everything take a license engineer, Calcs and a set if drawings. Unless it is in ag buildings.

Dave

Very similar here .

[SweetMK]

A welder gets $150 per hour,, the engineer gets $350 an hour,,
if they ask you to design it to meet code, you are the engineer, start collecting $350 an hour,, from first minute of discussion.

[smithdoor]

I did my own calculations and drawing.
Then took to license engineer and had the Calc stamp and drawings.

Dave

A welder gets $150 per hour,, the engineer gets $350 an hour,,
if they ask you to design it to meet code, you are the engineer, start collecting $350 an hour,, from first minute of discussion.

[Freebirdwelds]

You do what did
I did my own calculations and drawing.
Then took to license engineer and had the Calc stamp and drawings.

Dave

This, I've done dozens of staircases and fire escapes. I only paid a Engineer three times to stamp my prints. Two because of zoning and once because the fire escape was 4 or 5 stories. Quite a few were no problem because I had a 35 year history with the codes department. The rest didn't matter.

[smithdoor]

You can get a lot more jobs by doing your own prints.
Most owners do not know about codes and need someone that does.
Engineers do not know welding.

Dave

This, I've done dozens of staircases and fire escapes. I only paid a Engineer three times to stamp my prints. Two because of zoning and once because the fire escape was 4 or 5 stories. Quite a few were no problem because I had a 35 year history with the codes department. The rest didn't matter.

[nes1993]

Thank you everybody for the input. Most of my experience has been in pipe and some structural. I have built staircases in the past for places I’ve worked but that’s just a matter of building to what’s on the drawings. So I don’t really have a lot of experience with codes. Right now, in my side work I just do repairs, and smaller fab jobs, but someone I know needs the staircase replaced and told me that I can do it if up to it. I’m really just trying to get a feel of it would be worth tackling this in my limited time or if it’s better leaving to someone else. Going to go with the latter.