Jonathan Ochshorn
© 2012–2018 Jonathan Ochshorn.
Directions: Enter values for number of floors connected, occupancy, whether hole is designed as an "atrium," whether hole contains an exit access stair or escalator, and whether the building is sprinklered. This calculator then tells you if your proposed hole is permitted (per 2012 International Building Code). Aside from special rules for a few specialized occupancies (see IBC), there are five main permitted hole categories:
For additional information and limitations for these categories, read this more detailed discussion of holes in relation to the 2012 International Building Code (IBC). I also have a slightly different calculator based on the 2009 IBC. Figure 1 (below) illustrates a possible hole in a building floor.
Pressing the "update" button is not usually necessary when using the pop-down menus.Disclaimer: This calculator is not intended to be used for the design of actual structures, but only for schematic (preliminary) understanding of building technology and construction principals. For the design of an actual structure, a competent professional should be consulted.
First posted July 27, 2012 | Last updated Nov. 8, 2018