What you need to know about the Alberta Building Code

Are you planning renovations this year? Changes to the Alberta Building Code (ABC) may impact your plans. In May 2015, the province of Alberta adopted a new provincial building code – the first new building code adopted since 2007. Current permit applicants may choose to use either the 2006 or 2014 code during the six month transition period. As of Nov. 1, 2015, however, the 2014 ABC must be used for all new building permit application drawings.

The majority of changes in the 2014 ABC will impact the construction of new building projects and homes. However, there are a few changes which could also impact home renovation and addition projects.

Smoke detectors

The requirement for residential smoke detectors has increased. Previously, a detector was required within five metres of a bedroom, which meant that one smoke detector could serve multiple bedrooms. The new code requires a smoke detector in each bedroom.

Side yard glazing

Revised methods and requirements for calculating side yard glazing (fitting a wall or window with glass) will make it easier to determine how much glass is permitted on the sides of a home.

Staircase landing requirements

Under the new code, a landing is no longer required at the top of a stair leading from an attached garage to the house.

GRANDFATHERING

A common question from homeowners when starting renovation projects is if existing construction must be brought up to current building code standards, or if it will be ‘grandfathered.’ All new construction is required to meet the current code of the day. This means that any portion of work that is built new, modified or renovated will need to meet these requirements. The term ‘grandfathering’ typically refers to existing construction permitted to stay in place even though the current standards are stricter. Review the following key questions to determine if existing construction may be ‘grandfathered’:

Was the original construction built with a permit and inspected?

Grandfathering is only allowed if the construction was built to the building code standards; a permit must have been obtained and inspections completed for the original construction. If the work was completed without a permit, there is no verification it conformed to the code of the time.

The City’s Planning Services Call Centre may help if you are unsure whether a previous owner obtained permits for renovations. They can be reached at 403.268.5311.

Is the existing construction in good repair and safe?

Existing stairs in a 100-year-old house are permitted to remain even though the rise, run, width and landings are unlikely to meet current requirements. If the stairs are rotted or otherwise structurally unstable, they will need to be replaced and must meet the 2014 ABC requirements.

Are you modifying the existing construction?

An area of significant change over the years is windows. As this was once unregulated, some old houses have many windows. Houses closer than 1.2 metres to the property line are not permitted any windows in that wall under the current code, and the allowable amount of glass increases relative to the distance of the house from the property line.

The rule when renovating is that you may keep existing window openings (built to code with a permit) provided you replace the window units with ones of the exact same size. If you are making them smaller, this is a modification. If the percentage of glass is above the limits in the current ABC, the only option is to remove the window entirely.

Existing construction outside the scope of your renovation project may stay as is, provided you are not modifying it in any way and it is not a safety risk. At such time as the construction is modified, the replacement materials and construction will be required to be upgraded to the current building code requirements.