How to Ensure Compliance with the California Building Code

Are you tired of what your commercial space looks like for the past ten years or so of running your business? And because of that, you are thinking to consult a commercial construction contractor to look over and inspect the space you wish to change.

For business owners who are working in their office and running their business for over a decade already, it is about time to consider remodeling the entire commercial space within a specified schedule and budget. Remodeling does not only contribute to the new physical appearance of the office but also in building a positive atmosphere for the business owner, its employees, and their valued clients.

However, it is important to ensure that the renovation complies with the California Building Code.

What is California Building Code?

The building code for California is called the California Building Standards Code, which is the Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The California Building Standards Commission is authorized to maintain, and oversee the processes that are related to the building codes of California by the California Building Standards Law.

According to Title 24, the California building codes are based on a compilation of criteria such as:

Building standards have been adopted by the state agencies without changing anything from the building standards based on the national model codes.

Building standards that have been adapted and adopted from the national model codes to meet California’s changing conditions; and

Building standards that are authorized and passed by the legislature of California, which also constitute amendments that are not covered by the national model codes, to address California-specific concerns.

Commercial space remodeling or renovation is in line with tenant improvements such as changes in the space that the tenants are currently occupying, or changes in the needs of tenants referring to changes in the size of the space. There are many reasons for renovating a commercial space such as a fresh look of the space, or upgrading the functionality or the quality of the space. These are usually done together with a tenancy change.

Some studies show that there is an increase in turnover rate for commercial space. The respondents in the survey shared that more than three-quarters of the tenants are expected to remain in the commercial space for at least six years.

Most office spaces are commonly renovated or remodeled followed by retail spaces. The focus of most renovation and remodeling activities are on the interior side. Less than 13 percent of the respondents shared that the renovation project involved changes in the exterior.

As a business owner, you may have questions in mind like…

How to make a proper decision for renovating and remodeling projects?

A study conducted by the Nonresidential Remodeling and Renovation (NRRR), they have analyzed a micro-level of decision-making referring to nonresidential building projects that need renovating and remodeling, using all gathered information through different focus groups and data collection through decision-makers who recently made changes to their buildings.

The architect is involved about 80 percent of the time, and about half of the time, the architect is also an outside consultant. An architect is also part of the developer’s or owner’s in-house staff. Another third of the time the architect worked for the tenant.

The respondents of the survey were also asked about the set of criteria about the interior coverage. The respondents shared that the Title 24 requirements such as improving the quality, equipment reliability, and energy efficiency were among the most important criteria.

Some commercial real estate firms and developers target niches and it is positive to identify firms that are mostly involved with the renovation and remodeling process. More often than not, commercial construction contractors and design-build contractors are the key players in commercial construction and they should be the key targets of program implementers and planners.

Most of the time, other building construction professionals such as architects and engineers do not solely operate in the industry based on distinctions between renovation and new construction. Furthermore, in many cases, the architects and the engineers play the role of a professional consultant than the lead roles. As shared by the focus groups, the techniques and methods that the architects and the engineers used for remodeling and renovation are almost the same approaches as what they use in building new construction. That is why it is highly encouraged to ask for efficient products to use, modern designs, among others, to help in the decision-making process.

For larger business developers and owners, restaurant chains, and franchises, they have in-house staffs that are key players in the decision-making process. Many of these big firms also have resident architects or resident contractors who serve as their resident or in-house consultant. These groups are the targets for the program implementers. However, in some cases, this would mean working with construction firms outside the state of California.

Conclusion

There is a central question about whether renovation and remodeling can be considered different from new construction. And several pieces of evidence were developed over time that showed that the renovation and remodeling are different from the new construction, most especially referring to a whole new concept that the building or the business owner wants for the commercial space.

As a business owner, if you find reading or researching about the California building code too overwhelming, it pays to visit a construction manager to provide further help and professional assistance in incorporating all your plans and designs for the new look of your office, beneficial for you and your business, your employees, tenants, and clients. The collaboration of your ideas as the owner and the professional advice of the construction management team will help in the overall project satisfaction, and positive outcome while ensuring compliance with the building codes, set before us by the California Building Standards Commission.

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