wall space ?

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A few years ago i was handed a house to wire. Company was commercial only but this was being done because gc was friend of boss. What i found was very confusing untill i got the approve prints. On one side was a typical 2 rooms with a hall and bathroom between them . Looks like typical 2 bed rooms but no closets. I forget what they were called ,think it was game room and sowing room. I was looking for hard time out of inspector but we both had to deal with what they were called. Owner would not go for smoke detectors.I was hoping he would find a way to force this. Part i hated was when owner told me the rooms were for his grandkids to stay over. This man built a $300,000 1 bedroom house. Here once plans go thru pla review and get stamp then that is what we build. We all can see the danger here.
 
LarryFine said:
Says the building inspector when it comes up.

On what would you base the desicion of whether a room requires a second means of egress?
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Mass state building code 7th edition
Question 7: 780 CMR 3603.16.13 requires that an existing one- or two-family dwelling be provided with
a household fire warning system for new construction when one or more sleeping rooms are
added or created in the existing dwelling. What constitutes a bedroom under this Section?

Answer 7: The State Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS), as the Agency
promulgating the Massachusetts State Building Code, is the “AUTHORITY HAVING
JURISDICTION” (AHJ) regarding the interpretation of regulations of the State Building
Code andhas determined that it is the responsibility of the building owner or the agent of the
building owner to identify any new or newly created bedrooms or other space USES. If
submitted plans and/or narratives that describe the work intended identify such new additions
or newly created spaces as other than bedrooms then 780 CMR 3603.16.13 does not apply
(note that it is the “REGULATED COMMUNITY” and not the “REGULATOR” who
identifies, on plans and/or narratives submitted as part of the building permit application to
the Building Department, if a bedroom is being added or created).
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LarryFine said:
A genuine example of someone trying to get past certain requirements would be a basement room that lacks the egress necessary for a bedroom. If it has a clothes closet, it's a bedroom.
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Untill it has clothes what is it ?
This could be an office with storage.
Not saying i like seeing misuse but it happens.
 
electricmanscott said:
I would base it on the egress or lack of egress more likely.
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Exactly. The question is whether egress means is required for a given room.

For example: The homebuilder/owner doesn't want to pay the extra cost of a large-enough window and the window-well and climbing-out means necessary, and the building inspector says he must, because the room can be considered useable as a bedroom.

If the room qualifies as a bedroom, he must pay for the extra costs required. So, there must be something beyond the inspector's personal opinions when determining what must be included in the construction of the house. Smoke detectors enter the debate, too.

Added: Once the house is built, there's nothing to prevent the parents from moving Junior into the basement room whether it's a legal bedroom or not.
 
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M. D. said:
hello?? .....hello ?? ......Gus ?? you out there??
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I tend to lean toward "accept unless it's obviously not Code" therefore I did not count it as wall space, There was an outlet right next to the "cabinet" to the right of the fireplace, but not the identical one to the left. I would have liked to have seen one there, but let it slide.
I still have mixed emotions.
 
The reason for properly identifying rooms is because of any paticular requirements they might have. It's like the medical building I got awhile back and all of the rooms were labeled "office", when I followed up I found out that wasn't true.
 
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