UCSB has retained multiple firms to assist the Building Official and Fire Marshal in code required Plan Checks for UCSB projects. Formal Plan Checks are a critical aspect of code compliance and are standard practice for the construction industry.
The California Building Code requires all drawings submitted for Building Permits to be 'examined' as follows:
[A] 107.3 Examination of documents. The building official shall examine or cause to be examined the accompanying submittal documents and shall ascertain by such examinations whether the construction indicated and described is in accordance with the requirements of this code and other pertinent laws or ordinances.
Along with the Licensed Design Professional, Certified Construction Inspector and Licensed Contractor the Certified Plans Examiner fills out the ‘4 corners of code compliance’. This is intended as a check and balance system to ensure the project is in compliance.
By agreement with the OSFM, the effective code compliance date for a University project is the date of the first submittal of Preliminary Drawings (at the end of the Design Development Phase) to the Designated Campus Fire Marshal (DCFM). The project must be designed, reviewed, and constructed to comply with the edition of the California Building Standards Code (CBC) and all applicable local, state, and federal agency codes and regulations in effect at the time of the first submittal. (FM3:1.3.2)
In the event that Preliminary Drawings are not submitted to the DCFM, the date of submittal of the completed Construction Documents to the DCFM shall be the effective code compliance date.
Plan checks are required on all projects involving a consulting Architect or Engineer. There is not a dollar threshold that triggers code compliance.
Relevant sections of CCR T24 and reference standards, NFPA, UC Policy.
Documents shall be submitted concurrently via an email addressed to the CBO and DCFM. The email contains the title: "Plan Check: Project Name - Minor/Major Cap/DM Number (CAAN number)".
CBO will coordinate the plan checks with the Fire Marshal. Paper copies will be printed as necessary.
The office of the DCFM may conduct plan review in house or may elect to utilize an outside consultant for plan review services.
The plan check process is not complete until the consulting firm and the DCFM’s comments are completed and in sync.
Allow for a three-week turnaround per submittal. Recommended submittal intervals:
- 100% SD phase on large projects
- 100% DD or 50% CD
- 95% CD "ISSUED FOR PERMIT"
- Backcheck to ensure comments have been addressed.
- Final approved plans will be stamped by the CBO (or designee) and the DCFM.
See Facilities Management (FM) and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Checklists.
Listed staff, other than the DCFM, are not required for code plan review. These contacts should be consulted for their areas of expertise at appropriate stages of the design.
All Project costs related to plan checks will be charged to the project. PM’s are to budget between $2,000 - $6,000 for the typical Minor Cap/Mini-Major. Additionally, PMs are to budget funding for CBO and DCFM time that will be charged to the project.
Work Authorizations will be issued against existing consulting agreements. The Project Analyst, in collaboration with the PM and CBO will issue the Authorization Requests. The CBO will be the primary point of contact for plan checks. PM's/IOR/Director will be looped in on plan check communications, status and comments and will be included in meetings as necessary.
Approved drawings will be stamped and signed by the DCFM and CBO (or designee) and will be stamped “Reviewed for Code Compliance”.
Drawings will be stamped digitally and retained as record documents.