Quake-Sensitive Building Codes Haven’t Slowed Construction

By Matt Sanders, The Paducah Sun, Ky.

May 22–Building codes in seismic areas require additional material and labor, which translates into higher costs. However, those factors aren’t slowing the construction trade in Paducah, Building Inspector Joel Scarbrough said.

Valuation of new construction, renovation, rehabs and additions spiked in 2005 and 2006 and continue to be strong, even with a slight dip this year, Scarbrough said.

Stricter codes for home construction in a seismic zone generally increase total material and labor costs by 6 percent, he estimated. That means a $200,000 house built outside a seismic zone would cost $212,000 to build in Paducah.

Kentucky models its building code after the International Building Code, and guidelines are updated every three years, Scarbrough said. Code upgrades can be extensive in some years, while in others they’re limited to simplified definitions in the code book.

Home builder John Davis said additional costs usually came from requirements such as reinforced steel bars in the foundation, reinforced framing and additional masonry work.

“Seismic codes don’t slow us down; it’s part of what we have to do,” Davis said. “Builders and consumers accept it and go on. It’s what you do for protection. People want a safe house.”

Brian Sayner, director of marketing and business development with industrial contractor Morsey Constructors, said it is difficult to determine how much more cost is incurred within a seismic area because of a wide variance determined by building size and what type of material is specified for use.

“The primary impact on a project built to seismic parameters is cost and schedule,” Sayner said. “The key word is more of everything, and heavier from the ground up.”

Some of those parameters include using heavier steel for reinforcement in the foundation and walls and for bracing, higher compression strength concrete, bigger/thicker anchor bolts, and piping with heavier bracing, Sayner said.

Such seismic requirements add time to both the design and construction, which lengthens the construction schedule, Sayner said.

Contractors have a six-month window to approve plans to comply with codes that change every three years.

A buildings has to comply with the code in effect at the time it was built, but some structural changes can affect compliance. For example, Scarbrough said City Hall complies with codes in 1963 and 1964 when it was built. If a third floor were added it would increase the building’s loading requirement by more than 5 percent, and the building would have to comply with the current code. However, if an addition was built next to City Hall, only the addition would have to meet the current code.

Seismic codes sometimes affect architectural designs. Scarbrough said allowable percentages of glass and screened portions make sunrooms look different across seismic zones.

Matt Sanders can be contacted at 575-8659.

City of Paducah

Annual construction application valuation:

2000 $38,553,128

2001 $55,577,959

2002 $30,093,893

2003 $46,039,388

2004 $51,066,974

2005 $53,454,478

2006 $72,672,146

2007 $57,675,843

2008* $12,919,715*Through May 19

*

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