There was a forum post a couple of days ago about putting an addition on a frame house. Conflicting answers received – one poster said current/future construction code won’t allow a frame house to have more than 2 stories; another poster said 3 stories in some circumstances. Any architects out there who know the answer?


Comments

  1. hi.
    I’ve recently barely recieved a permit to expand a wood framed house.
    We complained so much I think the examiner made an exception for us.
    Technically a wood framed house is supposed to only be two stories. If the ground level is more than half underground three are ok.
    I could recommend my expediter, who was excellent during this whole process. Robert Leocadi. 917 306 4007.
    He’s great, but it does take time. We waited 6 months to get approval!
    Graydon

  2. The building code refers to stories above grade. I’m assuming by your example that the lower ground floor is partly (but not mostly) below grade – sounds like for code purposes, it has two stories above grade.

  3. I would also like to know what counts as 2 floors and what counts as 3. If the house has a lower ground floor which has decent sized windows, and then a parlor floor and one more above that, does that count as 3 floors (and therefore nothing further can be built on top of it)?