DO I NEED A LANDING HERE OR PARACHUTE

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

hey all

does this fall off need a landing, two steps or a parachute and what is the code for this ???

thanks
charlie

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[Jerry Peck]

Yes, a landing is required there, and not just a landing, but a proper stairway too.

From the 2006 IRC.

R311.4.3 Landings at doors.

There shall be a floor or landing
on each side of each exterior door. The floor or landing
at the exterior door shall not be more than 1.5 inches (38
mm) lower than the top of the threshold. The landing shall
be permitted to have a slope not to exceed 0.25 unit vertical
in 12 units horizontal (2-percent).

Exceptions:

1. Where a stairway of two or fewer risers is located
on the exterior side of a door, other than the
required exit door, a landing is not required for the
exterior side of the door provided the door, other
than an exterior storm or screen door does not
swing over the stairway.
2. The exterior landing at an exterior doorway shall
not be more than 7

3/4 inches (196 mm) below the
top of the threshold, provided the door, other than
an exterior storm or screen door does not swing
over the landing.
3. The height of floors at exterior doors other than the
exit door required by Section R311.4.1 shall not be
more than 73/4 inches (186 mm) lower than the top
of the threshold.
The width of each landing shall not be less than the door
served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of

36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel.

[Brent Crouse]

That door appears to swing in, so a landing is not necessary, right? Could just use steps I think, based on exception #1, as long as it does not require more than 2 steps.

[Jerry Peck]

That door appears to swing in, so a landing is not necessary, right? Could just use steps I think, based on exception #1, as long as it does not require more than 2 steps.

And that one in the photo has three, and probably needs four to make then equal, all depending on the height of the top of the threshold down to the patio.

However, *as shown* in the photo, there are THREE risers, which is "more than two risers" which means it needs a landing.

[mathew stouffer]

Jerry,
Do you ref. codes in your reports or just say items are required to be fixed or installed.

Mat

[Jerry Peck]

Jerry,
Do you ref. codes in your reports or just say items are required to be fixed or installed.

Mat

I referenced codes in my reports at the end, say during the last 10+ years or so, getting more and more into codes each year as I learned more and more about codes.

During the last 4+ years almost everything had a code reference, however, I was also almost exclusively doing new construction (phase inspections, new home walkthroughs, warranty inspections, quality control inspections for builders, those types of inspections, high end at that.

I still referenced codes on the few resale inspection I did during that time. Drove agents and sellers nuts, but that was why my clients hired me, because they now had the backup they needed to get things addressed (not that "addressed" meant "corrected" but that "addressed" meant "money to them at closing" for the work which was needed).

[Brent Crouse]

JP, I was basing my statement on the solution being to add "real" steps here, and not using the make-shift steps of patio stones. Just wanted to make sure my understanding of the exceptions was correct, and that, a landing would not be necessary if 2 steps were used.

[Jerry Peck]

JP, I was basing my statement on the solution being to add "real" steps here, and not using the make-shift steps of patio stones. Just wanted to make sure my understanding of the exceptions was correct, and that, a landing would not be necessary if 2 steps were used.

Brent,

Correct, but ...

You must also count the riser to the interior floor from the top step.

Like this: ground/patio - riser - tread - riser - tread - riser - interior floor = 3 risers = 3 steps

Now, it may be possible that the height will allow for only 2 risers, but it sure looks higher than that to me.

[Thomas Kirchner]

Hmm, just a guesstimate here, but it looks like those blocks are approx. 1-1/2" thick. If that's the case, the owner might just be able to put 2 bonafide steps in, with the second step at or above the 1-1/2" below the threshold point.(thus 2 risers)
That 'patio' looks thrown down just to get done and out, though, so the steps need to be independent of the patio.

[Jerry Peck]

Hmm, just a guesstimate here, but it looks like those blocks are approx. 1-1/2" thick. If that's the case, the owner might just be able to put 2 bonafide steps in, with the second step at or above the 1-1/2" below the threshold point.(thus 2 risers)
That 'patio' looks thrown down just to get done and out, though, so the steps need to be independent of the patio.

Most of those are, I believe, 2" thick, that makes the taller stack 8" high, the siding is probably 6"+/-, with another 2" below the trim under the door, and another 2" for the trim under the door itself.

That makes it (just guessing) 8" + 6" + 2" + 2" = 18" high to the underside of the door sill.

To make two risers work the maximum height would need to be limited to 7-3/4" + 7-3/4" = 15-1/2" and that would be to the interior floor level, which I am presuming is the underside of the door sill.

My best guess, then, is that it will take 3 risers to make those riser heights equal and legal in height.

Charlie, did you measure the height to the underside of the sill, or to the top of the sill or to where (if anywhere)?

Additionally, that top tread/landing needs to be as wide as the opening for both leaves of that door. The one shown is not even as wide as the one active leaf, but it needs to be as wide as both the active and the inactive leaves.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

jp

i did not measure, it was obvious, a landing or steps or parachute. recommended they get someone in to evaluate and repair. i also included my picture of landing and or steps in reportfrom home illustrated.

charlie