Sprinkler requirement confusion

I am so confused about the sprinkler requirement for townhouses. I’ve spoken with four architects now, all experienced in renovating BK townhouses, and two say “definitely no sprinklers” and two say “definitely sprinklers.” We have a 2-family landmarked townhouse that is basement plus 3 on the C of O, but we still have to do an alt 1 because the DOB considers the house as a triplex with a separate apartment on the top floor, whereas we want to put the separate unit on the garden level. In other words, we’re changing the configuration of the 2-family. We are not doing a gut reno. Does anyone have experience dealing with this sprinkler nightmare? The proposed requirement from December 2020 was shot down as I understand it, but I’m hearing that the code might require us to get sprinklers. Nightmare. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks!

anne_shaner

in General Discussion 4 years and 4 months ago

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isabelle.schumacher | 4 years and 4 months ago

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Just to add a clarification…If you use the standard definition of the building value as defined by the code reference, you will see that the DOB defined building value is likely unrealistically low since they use the “assessed value” per Dept of finance. This assessed value is often very low so your 30% or 60% threshold will be similarly very low. This is why it may be to your benefit to have an estimate provided for replacement cost as allowed by code as the alternative.

anne_shaner | 4 years and 4 months ago

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Thanks very much for your replies and explanations concerning the cost of construction/value of house equation. Hopefully this will work in our favor and we’ll be spared the burden of sprinklers.

jimhillra | 4 years and 4 months ago

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I’m with Jxcbrooklyn on this one. We do renovations like this a lot, and it comes down to the cost of construction relative to the value of the building. We use a formula provided by the DOB to modify the Dept of Finance assessed value to arrive at the DOB’s definition of the value of the building. If the reno is 60% or more of the value, then sprinklers throughout the building. If the reno of a space is 30% – 60% of the value of the building, then the space must be sprinklered.

isabelle.schumacher | 4 years and 4 months ago

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The trigger in your case for sprinklers would be the cost of work relative to the building value. See section 901.9 which defines the percentages. Based on this percentage it may require you to install sprinklers in just the areas affected by new work OR the entire house, regardless of your c of o. See code 27-119 for definition alteration cost:building value which is very specific. Just because you are 3 stories (or 4 if including garden or basement floor) it is not in itself a requirement however for a 2 family. If you file without sprinklers, you may get an objection. One way to address this objection is to provide a cost estimate for the replacement cost of the building as a whole which can be used as the building value and when you compare that to alteration cost, you may well be below the threshold for sprinklers.
This is a complicated issue so not surprising you are hearing different things.

hkapstein | 4 years and 4 months ago

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It sounds like this project would require sprinklers, it’s over 3 stories and it’s not detached.