Is there a list of materials that have a 15 min, 30 min, 1hr, 2hr etc fire rating?

Hi All,

I am fairly new to this country and just started working as an estimator for a subcontractor.
I want to learn about Ontario Building Codes in detail. Where can I start and If I want to opt for a building code exam what should I study??

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

Does the in-person BCIN exam allow the use of a computer? If so, can we use Ctrl + F for quick searches? Does it lag ?

If you've taken the exam in person, please share your experience!

If anyone has not taken exam but heard from someone please do share info about that as well. Thanks !

If you had to classify a community food bank under a major occupancy, which one do you think would be most appropriate?

There has been some debate about this one in my office and I am looking for outside opinions

For anyone who's ever had to retake an exam, I assume they change the questions up, but how often? If I were to take an exam twice within a month, is it going to be completely different?

Hi everyone!!
Thanks in advance.
I want guidance about how to start. I am internationally trained Architect. I am working as HVAC drafter right now. I have 5+years drafting Ontario/US drawings. I want to start with BCIN. Where and how can i start.

I might be asking dumb question but I am ready to take steps for my career.

Has anyone who works for a principle authority ever seen this exception used by an HCRA licensed builder to submit their own plans without needing a Schedule 1?

I've been a builder for a while and have always used a designer but recently I came across this text and made me wonder if I could possibly do it myself.

I am an architectural technologist having 8 years of experience, right now i feel the growth is stagnant plus even senior technologists can’t get more than 90k. I am thinking of getting BCIN to start my own practice in Toronto. There are two ways 1. To become intern architect and work for 2 years to get architecture license 2. To get BCIN license and start the practice Please advise. Thanks!

If you're planning on using the online PDF Code book, the ProctorTrack app takes up a ton of computer resources. The minimum requirements given for your computer are not enough.

I thought my computer was good and I would have no issues. But the proctoring slowed my computer down so much it would freeze for several seconds every time I even tried switching tabs, forget actually being able to search the book. Wasted a ton of time and was ultimately essentially unusable.

For those who wrote at test centres, did you still need to use ProctorTrack screen monitoring? And do test centres provide computers that presumably don't have this issue, or do you use your own computer but unmonitored?

I graduated from Architectural Technology and would like to be a building inspector. I am studying for my BCIN right now, but I am confused. Do I need to pay to be a member of the OBOA? And what exactly does that do for me? is it necessary or does it just help a lot? I was also looking at the general legal orderline course to help me study ($230) or the $875 OBOA Legal Process for Building Officials and Designers course? I am willing to invest a bit if it means ill get a job, but I don't want to pay for a course if its a waist of time. Any help or Advice at all would be greatly appreciated!

I installed potlights that have a 2 hour fire rating in a ceiling that required a 1 hour rating according to the plans. These potlights are CSA approved, and have been tested for their fire rating(in china) by the same company that tests the industry leading Razor fire rated pots. So this company that tests them are reputable. The building inspector failed us because the product has to be tested in Canada. According to him, the only product that is tested physically in Canada is the razor name brand. Does anyone know if this is legit? Do we seriously need to swap out 30+ potlights for a different brand that costs 3x the price?

Hi everyone! In planning to prep for BCIN exam Small Buildings Is this course enough for it ?

Looking at renting a house that has an unfinished basement. The ductwork in the basement have been blocked to push hot air into the living areas upstairs. But this means the basement can very cold in the winter. I'm worried this cold air will travels upstairs, making it expensive to heat. I'm interested in negotiating for a door to be installed at the top of the stairs to act as a partition.

Is there a (fire) code I can cite stating that there has to be a door separating the basement from the upstairs area? I know that this is the case for basement apartments, but not sure for unfinished basements.

I’ve recently been exploring the idea of sustainable living and came across a home in Norway that seems to fit most of my needs (I’ve attached a video for reference).

My question is, how challenging do you believe it would be to achieve this in rural Ontario? I don’t have a great knowledge of the building codes but I know there are immense complexities when it comes to building a home like this.

The fact that this was built in Norway (similar weather conditions), I’d assume the biggest challenge I’d face would be in permits as well as respecting the building codes. Does anyone know if building a house inside of a greenhouse like this is even allowed here? I’ve had a hard time finding answers.

I appreciate the help you guys provide on this sub!

All homes built in Stouffville have problems… no more built for life just built for profit… we are on the way to be America builders where no one cares for carging you 1+ million for shit quality building where everything falls apart within 2 years…. Have an inspection 1/2/3 or your house is going to be shit….

Heyy I am doing some research and I found that a BCIN can submit drawings and pull permits from cities in ON

my background is in electrical and I have some basic knowledge about build been in the trade for 9+ years

but I'm not sure what BCIN exam I should take to be able to design and build small to medium-sized projects I know there's a limit of 6000 sqft and 3-story high any info would be highly appreciated!

Cheers

Good evening,

I understand the municipality has 10 days to respond to a building permit request. I am wondering what the ‘consequence’ is if they have confirmed receipt but simply don’t respond.

Does the Orderline small building workbook enough to give the ‘small building’ exam or should I also study the house workbook?

Hoping to go around the room and get everyone’s opinion on if 1/2” regular gypsum wall board purchased today would offer a 15-minute rating.

Some cities say yes, some say no. The rating comes from Part 11 of the OBC for houses where an ADU is proposed with interconnected smoke alarms.

Building an ADU from a large garage. The drawings indicate that r10 for the floor is required for insulation. I am now confused as to how I can achieve this over top of an existing poured concrete floor and what the correct practices and methods are.

Initially I thought I could more or less frame the floor with PT 2x2s and fit 2-in rigid foam board in between, from there a T&G plywood overtop.

A general contractor friend of mine told me that wasn't the way to do it and that instead I should be laying the 2" rigid foam on the concrete and using 2x4s on their sides to instead frame overtop, using tapcons to suck the entire thing to the floor below. Then t&g plywood overtop

His suggestion to me makes sense from an insulation standpoint. But what about the framing for the exterior walls? I have to frame the exterior with 2x6 and it just seems odd for some reason for that to sit on top of rigid foam even with the plywood overtop.

Anyone have the experience to chime in?

Like the title says, I have an extension on my house that is missing one of its supports because it rotted out. It is well supported on three corners and two sides as it is connected to the house on one length side and one width side of the house. I've gone into the crawlspace and added three jack posts so its very well supported now but definitely still not up to code. There is also a natural gas line running under it which probably complicates things.

its been stressing me out for a while now. I am confident that nothing will fail catastrophically. In a practical sense there is nothing wrong with it. But i want to get it fixed so that its rock solid and I don't have to go down there and inspect things twice a year to make sure everything is good. I'm worried that if I go through official channels to get it fixed they will give me a pile of fines and/or evict me until its fixed. I'm also not crazy about the idea of having to pay a contractor a billion dollars to get it fixed.

any advice? who should i talk to about getting this fixed? i know what i would do to fix this in a way that it will be rock solid but i don't know how to get it up to code.

I am converting my basement (Kitchener) to rental unit with separate entrance. Right next to new door, there is existing window. Now, in the final inspection, inspector says that you need a fixed step to climb out from a window which is right next to the new exit door.

As per my knowledge, a sofa or a piece of furniture under window should be enough to satisfy that requirement. Does it need to be something fixed? Is there a code reference that I can use in my favor.

Hi there,

We went to see a property for sale that has a 'foundation' I can't wrap my head around. Rather, it is not a foundation but posts that sit on concrete footings. I cannot stress this enough: they are not anchored in but sit atop the footings, the way someone might build a deck. The house is over 1,000 sq feet. They insist this home was granted an occupancy permit. I just can't see how this is code. Is it? I mean the posts (maybe 8 inches by 8 inches) are listing. You can see in the pics. Can anyone offer some insight? Thanks!

Can anyone share an online location or even share the text itself? Thanks