510 R.I. Code R. 510-RICR-00-00-20.5 - Chapter 5: Alterations

20.5.1

501.0 General Requirements

501.1 Alterations are defined as the reconfiguration of any space, the addition or elimination of any door or window, the reconfiguration or extension of any system, or the installation of any additional equipment. All alterations shall comply with the requirements of Chapters 5 and 4.

Exception: As modified in Part 904.0 for historical buildings.

501.2 Extensive Alterations

501.2.1 The alteration of an entire building or an entire occupancy within a building shall be considered as a reconstruction and shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 6 for the applicable occupancy. BFO

Exception: Alteration work that is exclusively either plumbing, mechanical, fire protection system or electrical shall not be considered a reconstruction, regardless of its extent.

501.2.2 When the total area of all the rehabilitation work areas included in an alteration exceeds fifty (50%) percent of the area of the building the work shall be considered as a reconstruction and shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 6 for the applicable occupancy. BFO

Exception: Rehabilitation work areas in which the alteration work is exclusively either plumbing, mechanical, fire protection system or electrical shall not be included in the computation of total area of all rehabilitation work areas.

501.3 All newly constructed elements, components and systems, including the installation of new elevators and boilers, shall comply with the requirements of the Building Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, NFPA 101 Life Safety Code for new construction, Electrical Code, Boiler Safety Code, Energy Code, Elevator Code, and Accessibility Code as applicable. BFO

Exceptions:

1. Openable windows may be added without requiring compliance with the light and ventilation requirements of the Building Code.

2. Newly installed electrical equipment shall comply with the requirements of Part 504.0.

501.4 The alteration work shall not make the building less conforming with the building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical or fire codes of the jurisdiction, or with alternative materials, design and methods of construction or any previously approved plans, modifications, alternate methods or compliance alternatives, than it was before the alteration was undertaken. BFO

501.5 Interior Space Dimensions

501.5.1 In Groups R-1 and R-2, when habitable spaces as defined in Chapter 2 of the Building Code are created in previously unoccupied space, other than a kitchen, they shall not be less than seven (7') feet in any plan dimension. B

501.5.2 In Groups R-1 and R-2, when habitable spaces as defined in Chapter 2 of the Building Code are created in previously unoccupied space, they shall have a ceiling height of not less than seven (7') feet. B

Exceptions:

1. Beams, girders, ducts or pipes spaced not less than four (4') feet on center and projecting not more than six (6") inches below the required ceiling height.

2. For rooms with a sloped ceiling, the prescribed ceiling height is required for at least 35 square feet of the floor area of the room. Any portion of the room measuring less than five (5') feet from the finished floor to the finished ceiling shall not be considered usable floor area and shall not be included in any computation of the minimum area thereof.

501.5.3 In Groups R-1 and R-2, when habitable spaces as defined in Chapter 2 of the Building Code are created in previously unoccupied space, other than a kitchen, they shall have a net floor area of not less than 70 square feet. B

20.5.2

502.0 Structural Requirements

502.1 General: Where alteration work includes installation of additional equipment that is structurally supported by the building or reconfiguration of space such that portions of the building become subjected to higher gravity loads as required by Tables 1607.1 and 1607.6 of the Building Code, the provisions of this section shall apply. B

502.2 Reduction of strength: Alterations shall not reduce the structural strength or stability of the building, structure or any individual member thereof. B

Exception: Such reduction shall be allowed as long as the strength and the stability of the building are not reduced to below the Building Code requirements.

502.3 New structural members: New structural members in alterations, including connections and anchorage, shall comply with the Building Code unless the authority having jurisdiction specifically allows replacement with like materials. B

502.4 Existing structural members: Existing structural components supporting additional equipment or subjected to additional loads based on the Building Code Tables 1607.1 and 1607.6 as a result of a reconfiguration of spaces shall comply with 502.4.1 through 502.4.3. B

502.4.1 Gravity loads: Existing structural elements supporting any additional gravity loads as a result of additional equipment or space reconfiguration shall comply with the Building Code. B

Exceptions:

1. Structural elements whose stress is not increased by more than five (5%) percent.

2. Buildings of Group R occupancy with not more than five (5) dwelling units or guest rooms used solely for residential purposes where the existing building and its alteration comply with the conventional light-frame construction methods of the Building Code.

502.4.2 Snow drift loads: Any structural element of an existing building subjected to additional loads from the effects of snow drift as a result of additional equipment shall comply with the Building Code. B

Exceptions:

1. Structural elements whose stress is not increased by more than five (5%) percent.

2. Buildings of Group R occupancy with no more than 5 dwelling units or guest rooms used solely for residential purposes where the existing building and its alteration comply with the conventional light-frame construction methods of the Building Code.

20.5.3

503.0 Accessibility

503.1 Buildings undergoing an alteration that affects the usability of the building by persons with disabilities shall comply with Part Chapter 10. B

20.5.4

504.0 Electrical Equipment and Wiring

504.1 All newly installed electrical equipment and wiring relating to work done in any rehabilitation work area shall comply with the materials and methods requirements as defined in Part Chapter 2. B

Exception: Electrical equipment and wiring in newly installed partitions and ceilings shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Electrical Code.

504.2 Existing wiring in all rehabilitation work areas in Groups A-1, A-2, and A-5 (Theater, Assembly), shall be upgraded to meet the materials and methods requirements as defined in Part Chapter 2. B

504.3 Service and/or feeder in Group R-2: Service to each existing dwelling unit in any rehabilitation work area shall be a minimum of one hundred ampere, three-wire capacity, and service equipment shall be dead front having no live parts exposed whereby accidental contact could be made. B

Exception: Existing service of sixty-ampere three-wire capacity, and feeders of thirty ampere or larger two- or three-wire capacity, shall be accepted if adequate for the electrical load being served.

504.3.1 Type "S" fuses shall be installed in accordance with 240-53 and 240-54 of the Electrical Code when fused equipment is used. B

504.4 In Group R-2, when the rehabilitation work area includes any of the following areas within a dwelling unit, the following requirements shall apply: B

504.4.1 All enclosed areas, other than closets, kitchens, basements, garages, hallways, laundry areas and bathrooms shall have a minimum of two duplex receptacle outlets or one duplex receptacle outlet and one ceiling or wall type lighting outlet. B

504.4.2 Kitchen areas shall have a minimum of two duplex receptacle outlets and a hard-wired lighting outlet. At least one of the required duplex receptacles shall be provided to serve counter space. B

504.4.3 Laundry areas shall have a minimum of one duplex receptacle outlet located near the laundry equipment and installed on an independent circuit. B

504.4.4 Ground fault circuit interruption shall be provided on newly installed receptacle outlets if required by Section 210-8(a) Electrical Code. B

504.4.5 At least one lighting outlet shall be provided in every bathroom, hallway, stairway, attached garage and detached garage with electric power, and to illuminate outdoor entrances and exits. B

504.4.6 At least one lighting outlet shall be provided in utility rooms and basements where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring service. B

504.4.7 Clearance for electrical service equipment shall be provided in accordance with 110-16 of the Electrical Code. B

504.5 In Group R-2, when the rehabilitation work area includes spaces converted into kitchen or laundry areas, receptacle outlets in these areas shall comply with applicable requirements of 210-52(a), (b), (c), and (f) of the Electrical Code. B

504.6 Where the work changes an existing space where ground fault circuit interruption is not required into a location where such protection is required by 210-8 (dwelling units, all bathrooms and rooftops), 555-3(boathouses), 511-10 (commercial garages), 620-85 (elevators, escalators and moving walkways), 517-20 and 517-21 (health care facilities), 422-8(d)(3) (high-pressure spray washing appliances), 680-70 (hydromassage bathtubs), 530-73(a)(1) (motion picture and TV studios), and 680-6(a) (permanently installed pools) of the Electrical Code, existing receptacle outlets shall be provided with such protection in accordance with the. B

20.5.5

505.0 Plumbing Fixtures

505.1 Where the rehabilitation work area is more than fifty (50%) percent of the gross floor area as defined in 1002 of the Building Code, and the occupant load will be increased by at least twenty (20%) percent as a result of the modification, plumbing fixtures shall be provided based on the increased occupant load in the rehabilitation work area in quantities and locations specified in 403 of the Plumbing Code based on the increased occupant load. B

20.5.6

506.0 Mechanical

506.1 All reconfigured spaces intended for occupancy and all spaces converted to habitable or occupiable space in any rehabilitation work area shall be provided with either natural or mechanical ventilation. B

506.1.1 Natural ventilation shall be provided by the minimum openable area to the outdoors of four (4%) percent of the floor area being ventilated. B

506.1.2 Newly installed mechanical ventilation systems shall comply with the requirements of Section 403 of the International Mechanical Code. B

Exception: Existing mechanical ventilation systems shall comply with the requirements of Section 506.2.

506.2 In mechanically ventilated spaces, existing mechanical ventilation systems that are altered, reconfigured or extended shall be capable of providing not less than five (5) cubic feet per minute (cfm) per person of outdoor air and not less than fifteen (15) cfm of ventilation air per person. B

506.3 All newly-introduced devices, equipment or operations that produce airborne particulate matter, odors, fumes, vapor, combustion products, gaseous contaminants, pathogenic and allergenic organisms, and microbial contaminants in such quantities to adversely affect or impair health, or cause discomfort to occupants shall be provided with an exhaust system in compliance with Chapter 5 of the Mechanical Code or a means of collection and removal of the contaminants. Such exhaust shall discharge directly to an approved location at the exterior of the building. B

20.5.7

507.0 Commercial Kitchens

507.1 Where the rehabilitation work area includes a commercial kitchen and the alteration includes reconfiguration or extension of cooking equipment or the installation of additional cooking equipment, existing grease ducts, exhaust equipment, and kitchen hoods shall be brought into compliance with all the requirements in Sections 506 and 507 of the Mechanical Code and enforced by the Building Official. Jurisdiction for the suppression system for commercial cooking will be enforced solely by the fire official in compliance with NFPA 96 as referenced in the State Fire Code. BF

NOTE: Where the section is followed by the letter "B", "F", or "O", the following meaning shall apply:

"B" This means that the Building Official or the Plumbing, Mechanical or Electrical Inspector shall review the plans, issue the permit, inspect the installation, and approve the final certificate.

"F" This means that the Fire Official shall review the plans for approval, the Fire Official and/or the Building Official inspects the installation, and the Fire Official observes the final test and approves the final installation. The Building Official shall issue the permits.

"O" This would indicate another State agency approval and inspection is needed. An explanation will indicate the agency and approvals needed.

Notes

510 R.I. Code R. 510-RICR-00-00-20.5