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SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS FOR CODE COMPLIANCE

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS

The Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office will review submitted documents for code compliance and the findings will be documented through the office’s Construction Document Review Report which is then forwarded to the Project Contact. Copies of reports may be forwarded to appropriate parties by the Project Contact. Issues which are identified as “Noncompliant” (marked “N”) should be resolved through subsequent revised drawings, addenda, or amendments to the construction documents. The conclusion at the end of the report will indicate subsequent action expected of the project team. This may include: no action required, compliant work will be verified in the field during construction inspection, and/or resubmission of documentation indicating code compliance. It is often beneficial to the project if the design professional responds to the noncompliant issues in writing to indicate how the issue will be resolved as an efficient means of confirming that the revisions will be compliant.

The electronic pdf files of documents, including drawings, specifications, or other descriptions of work, when applying for a building permit or when a response from the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office showing the documents have been reviewed for code compliance is required.

As part of its internal operating procedures, the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office, through the project lead inspector, may delegate the review of various code regulated building systems and components for separate reviews by fire marshals and building inspectors.

Electronic submission of documents relevant to construction or building permit work may be made to: buildinginspector@uconn.edu

Electronic submission of documents is to be accompanied by the Application for Construction Document Review and Building Permit as appropriate, or with a transmittal stating the desired action by the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office.

SUBMISSION OF PRELIMINARY DRAWINGS

Submission of preliminary drawings for review for code compliance is encouraged, however, is not required by the SBC. If preliminary drawings are submitted, two sets would be beneficial for large scale projects and the initial submission is to be accompanied by an Application for Construction Document Review and Building Permit.

Submission of preliminary documents to the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office assists in an expeditious review of the final construction documents and the issuance of a Building Permit. Review of these documents also serves as a means to work in concert with the design professional throughout the design phase resulting in early and beneficial discussions regarding the code compliance of the work.

Understanding that preliminary drawings are not prepared to show complete code compliance, the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office has developed a list of suggested information pertaining to the code that is appropriate for the reviewer to use as a guide for each typical phase of the project’s development.

PHASED SUBMISSION OF PLANS AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

The State Building Code requires the submission of a completed set of construction documents be reviewed by a building inspector for compliance with code and the issuance or denial of a building permit within 30 days.

With the intent of allowing for an expedient review of final construction documents and issuance of building permit, the phased submission of design drawings or preliminary documents is encouraged. A submission of preliminary drawings showing specific code compliance data allows the design professional and Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office to open and promote a dialogue regarding a project’s compliance with code. Knowing that design drawings are not developed to show all aspects of code compliance, it is important to establish a standard which defines the scope and extent of the plan review for each phased submission.

The following list of information to be submitted in the phased development of a project allows the design professional to be aware of what information is being reviewed for the relevant provisions of the code, and what provisions of the building code are not being considered at a particular phase in the project’s development.

The Fire Marshal and Building Inspector’s Office review of preliminary plans will be provided to the project contact through the standard “Construction Document Review Report” with reference to the plan’s date and project description. Construction Document Review Reports will, for phased preliminary plan submission, review the drawings for the noted information and for compliance with the listed provisions of the code. Code provisions which are noted on the Construction Document Review Report as “Non-compliant” (“N”) do not warrant the re-submission of the documents immediately, but rather should be resolved or addressed in subsequent drawing submissions.

THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN (PRELIMINARY) PHASE PLAN SUBMISSION

The schematic design phase plan review strives to establish the project’s feasibility for code compliance, and to establish and/or confirm major code compliance systems required for the project.

The following basic information and data should be declared in the schematic design phase submission in order for the building officials to respond through the Construction Document Review Report, as to a project’s general compliance with basic code provisions:

  1. Determination of permit requirement – description of work.
  2. Declaration of Use – Existing occupancy classification (as applicable).
    1. Proposed occupancy classification
    2. Declarations of mixed use separated or non-separated
  3. Declaration of building height and area.
    1. Existing height and area
    2. Proposed height and area
  4. Declaration of Construction Classification.
  5. Declaration of fire protection systems.
  6. General review of floor plans for compliance with means of egress requirements.
    1. Accessible means of egress
    2. Exit access
    3. Exit and exit access doorways
    4. Exit access travel distance
    5. Number of exits
  7. General review of floor plans for compliance with accessibility requirements.
    1. Scoping requirements
    2. Accessible route
    3. Parking and passenger loading
  8. Evaluation of work for applicability of requirements for existing structures.