Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Nov 22, 2018 8:36 pm My architect is telling me I can’t have a single step down from garage to a storage area at the rear of the garage area and then a second step down from storage area into house. She is telling me I have to have a minimum of 2 risers according to BCA section 3.9.1.1 but these are not a stairway but a step down. I don’t understand how that is my only option when we have had a single step down into the garage many times and not needed to have 2. Anyone got any experience with this? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: BCA clarification on step down v flight of stairs 2Nov 22, 2018 9:34 pm I’ll assume you’re stepping UP into the storage and UP into house, not down as you said???? Why don’t you have the storage the same floor level as the garage and then a normal 1 step up into house? Edit - So maybe the garage slab is higher than the house slab due to a slope? In that case I’d agree with the architect. Re: BCA clarification on step down v flight of stairs 3Nov 22, 2018 11:36 pm Garage slab is supposed to be lower than the house slab. This is the common practice.
I can't see any single reason why your storage can't sit on the same slab height with the garage (and it looks like this is what your drawings are already saying). Ideally, you would only need 10 cm step down from your house slab to your garage/garage storage slab. I am not sure why you are NOT having any step down from the house slab to the garage slab at the moment. According to your drawings all your slabs are on the same level (62.400). Re: BCA clarification on step down v flight of stairs 4Nov 22, 2018 11:37 pm BCA Cl 3.9.1.6 states "Where the threshold of a doorway is more than 230 mm above the adjoining surface it must incorporate steps having riser (R) and going (G) dimensions in accordance with 3.9.1.2." If each of your step downs is less than 230mm, ask her if the above clause is applicable. Re: BCA clarification on step down v flight of stairs 5Nov 22, 2018 11:45 pm alexp79 Garage slab is supposed to be lower than the house slab. This is the common practice. I can't see any single reason why your storage can't sit on the same slab height with the garage. You would only need 10 cm step down from your house slab to your garage+storage slab. Common practice yes, but mandatory? So long as the garage slab itself is a suitable height above the FSL of the driveway I can't see why it would be. I've got a 750mm step down from my garage to the lower slab, with associated staircase. Without knowing the site topography it's difficult to be sure that the storage can sit at the same level as there's an external door coming off the storage area. Maybe removing that external door will provide some flexibility with the levels? [Edit: you've edited your post due to seeing OP's drawings - I haven't seen them but my second paragraph may no longer be relevant] Re: BCA clarification on step down v flight of stairs 6Nov 23, 2018 5:36 am Thank you for your quick responses. We have a slope from front right to rear left of 2.25m. The garage is higher because of the limitations on the slope of driveway And the max cut is 500mm. We need to reduce the fill under the entire left hand side of the house to less than 1000m from FL to NGL enclosed in a drop edge beam. Without putting steps through the hallway we wanted to put them in the garage which drops the middle and left by 360mm making it compliant for fill and not be stepping up and down every time we move through the hallway. The step downs are 180mm each. While i was across this behavior's pre appointing my (the builders) surveyor, I did tell the builder i was aware what they were doing and while i disagreed with it, they… 13 14589 I am not based in Victoria however i had a quick look into your question to understand what you were asking. The way I read the regulations, overshadowing relates to the… 1 2233 the step up is 30mm and wanting it to be flat . how much does the concrete have to be lowered .we plan on removing bath and lenghten shower and adding seat. the old bath… 0 11835 |