OBC House Exam case studies
OBC House Exam · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The OBC House Exam is a professional assessment built around the Ontario Building Code as it applies to residential construction - chiefly detached, semi-detached and small multi-unit houses. It is aimed at candidates who need to demonstrate code literacy for house-level work: building officials and inspectors, designers and drafters preparing permit drawings, renovation contractors, and construction managers who coordinate residential projects. The OBC House Exam case studies are 5 cases and about 2,672 words.
1Sprinklered Addition Triggers Egress Recheck at Mixed-Use Building
A three-story, 28,000 sq ft mixed-use building has retail on the first floor and offices above. The existing building is fully sprinklered per NFPA 13 and was permitted under an older code edition.
597 words, about 3 min2Slab-on-Grade Moisture and Finish Failure in a Warehouse Conversion
A 1970s warehouse is converted to a conditioned records-storage and light-assembly facility. slab-on-grade sits on a compacted subbase with no vapor retarder and no capillary break.
502 words, about 3 min3Roof Uplift and Drainage at a Low-Slope Addition in a High-Wind Zone
A single-story retail building in a coastal high-wind region adds a 60 ft by 40 ft low-slope roof section at 1/4 in. The existing structure is wood-frame with nominal 2x8 rafters at 16 in.
517 words, about 3 min4Electrical Service Upgrade and Accessibility in a Renovated Clinic
A 4,000 sq ft medical clinic renovation adds imaging equipment that raises the connected load beyond the existing 200 A, 120/240 V single-phase service. The electrical contractor proposes a new 400 A service with a panel located in a converted storage room.
569 words, about 3 min5Fire-Resistance Rating of an Existing Wall in a Change-of-Occupancy
A two-story, 12,000 sq ft building changes from office (Group B) to a congregate living facility with sleeping units (Group R-2). The existing floor/ceiling assembly between floors is wood joists with a gypsum ceiling below and wood subfloor above; the drawings show no rating.
487 words, about 2 min