36″H minimum residential.
42″H min commercial.
I get more request to go lower with it because of view.
Excellence is its own reward!
36″H minimum residential.
42″H min commercial.
I get more request to go lower with it because of view.
There are a number of ways to achieve a level foundation and mudsill.
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Replies
What I mean is that we have a lot of balconmies overlooking the ocean with nice views. The inhabitants can sit in a recliner and still see the water with a railing at 21" and a lot of the older ones were built as low as 18-19". Local standards have no controll over this and grandfathering would typicaly allow repair and replacement at that height.
A person sitting at a balconmy table or viewing from a seated position inside can enjoy the view still with a railing at 27-30". I refuse to build a second storey rail at less than 27" even in retrofit situations and still have them sign a release disclaimer for that height. I recommend 36" for safety. About half increase to that height. Others insist on the 27" height.
"I bought this house for the view and I'm not giving it up!"
In jurisdictions where 36" is the requirement, that is what I would do. The above compromise is as far as I will go to reconcile between desire and safety and my ethics.
If your biggest concern is safety, build it at 42". If you are building for resale, make it no less than 36". If you are building for yopurself and no ruyles apply localy, consider all the above and put it where you want it.
Excellence is its own reward!
From my understanding of the codes/laws having a home owner sign a release is that it doesn't fly because you can't have someone else sign away another party's ability to sue about 6 yrs ago The contractor's wife was a lawyer and the homeowner want to change the height and width of the railing and cap. They argued over and over and the owner finally gave up and was going to hire someone else to change it after the job was done. The owner even tried to have the contractor not put the railing in and told the contractor that he would sign another waiver about not holding the contractor liable in the event some one fell(DUHH). Plus, do you think that the insurance company would pay and NOT TRY to recoup their losses from another party? Food for thought....
Maybe you have migraines because you worry too much but you are right about the liabilities. If I were up against a mean #### lawyer I would be forced to eat my shorts.
But I try to divert actions like that by customer education and compronmise. The disclaimer is worthless in court but it has value in the education process. It clearly states to them that they are doing something that could be dangerous and asks them to assume the liability.
The extremely wealthy folks I serve will have what they want regardless. So I try to shepherd them while amking them happy - more or less. I charge for the risk. Enough? probably not. But supposing that I didn't get them to accept my compromise of 27" or 30" - they would go find someone to build it at 19".
Life is a gamble.
Here's an example. I was working several years ago for another outfit as an employee. We built a deck around a pool. Portions of the deck were more than three feet above ground. I asked the owner what kind or railing he would like for safety since most insurance companies want a rail when it is more than 18" above ground.
He flew off the handle and reamed me out, stating unequivicably that he wanted to see the ocean from any position on the deck and would not accept any railing.
The deck warming pool party was a grand success, with the exception of his friend who had a few too many drinks and fell off the highest part of the deck and broke his ankle. The owner was too embarassed to come back to us for a railing. He hired another outfit to build a bench seat to ring the deck. His insurance paid for the med bills..
Excellence is its own reward!
My response was not to attack you. I only tried to contribute to this forum with what I have learned in the past. I have learned things the way of hard knocks just like other people and only give my 2cents worth to hopefully prevent other people from learning from my mistakes.
Once, i did some work for a local general contractor on a Luthern Church in California. The contractor happened to be my old High School wood shop teacher. I didn't bother to file my 20 day preliminary notice because I was in a rush, I knew the guy, and it was for a church. End of the job, he doesn't pay me and takes a 1 year to collect about 80% of the job. I ate the rest. Worst thing about the job was that when I contacted the church, their lawyer returned my call and said that since I didn't file a preliminary notice, they are not going to help me get paid by this guy and he still had money owed to him by the church. Wish I had heard this story from some one else. I would have probably file the necessary paperwork. I also had a friend do a decking job and before the he was paid in full, she died. The trustee for her estate said the he was not going to recieve any money because he didn't file his preliminary notice. He was owed $3,000. My friend contacted a lawyer and was told because it was an estate in probate, it would cost more in laywer fees than the balance due.
By the way, the migraines are caused by having a double cervical spine fusion and the narrowing of the central nerve cord on two of the remaining cervical disks
Sorry
I should have included the smiley face or other LOL
I took no offense and meant none. You are entirely right about the paperwork. I doo moire of my stuff on instinct and handshakes but I know my day will come. I resort more to papers when I instinctively distrust someone and I'm more likely to walk with a person that rings those bellz but like your experience with the church contractor, there are wolves in sheep's clothing. I'm sure my instincts will mis-serve me someday.
Please forgive my faux-pas..
Excellence is its own reward!
:) LOL
Wiley,
Around here in New Jersey residential minimum is first floor 36" and second floor 42".
If your deck is on the first floor you can make it what ever height you want above 36".
I'm a little guy 5' 8-3/32". ;-)
Joe Carola
Here in L.A. they're making me retrofit railings in my second story windows at 42", and this is a single family residence.
-- J.S.
The local building code here requires 36" rails on any drop over 23 1/2 "and 42" over 83 1/2" one way of improving this is a double top rail and no, or few balusters in the gap between 36 & 42".We have the 4" rule on space between balusters
In commercial work 42" high for any thing over 24" above the adjacent grade and a 4" dia. sphere cannot pass through any opening in the guard rail. Several codes have also adopted the rule that the guard rail cannot form a ladder (no horizontal rails). Talk to the inspector.
If both safety and a view are in consideration, go with a steel post/rail structure, to minimize the profile, and use Feeney Cable Rail below the steel rail.
See http://www.cablerail.com
Formerly BEMW at The High Desert Group LLC