Performs renovation and remodeling work
Renovation questions test judgement under uncertainty: the existing building does not match the drawings, and structure, services and hazardous materials must be understood before anything is cut.
Survey and hazard assessment
Existing conditions are opened up and recorded - a probe from above and below confirms what actually carries the load. Before demolition, an assessment looks for asbestos in pre-1990 material (vermiculite, floor tile and mastic, drywall compound, pipe wrap), lead paint in older housing, mould from past leaks, knob-and-tube wiring, and undersized or altered structure. Hazardous material is abated by trained workers before the crew occupies the space.
Temporary support and structure
A bearing wall is not opened until temporary shoring is in place: a temporary beam on posts, each on solid footing, set close to the cut and spaced so the beam does not sag visibly. The permanent beam or header, posts and footings are installed and loaded before the shoring comes out. Any opening that changes the structure is sized from span tables or an engineer's design, not by eye.
Permits, sequence and protection
Permits are pulled before work starts, and a renovation may trigger upgrades to egress, guards, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and stair geometry. Sequence runs survey, abatement, demolition, temporary support, structural work, rough-in, air sealing and insulation, then finish. Dust control - poly barriers, negative air, taped doorways - and protection of existing finishes are part of the job.
Worked example
An existing basement stair has a 203 mm rise and a 229 mm run. Typical maximum rise is 200 mm and minimum run 235 mm, so both dimensions fail. The ratio itself is fine: 2R + T = 2(203) + 229 = 635 mm, inside the usual 550–700 mm band. Because the stair is being altered as part of the renovation, the code official decides whether it must be rebuilt - the answer is to check, not to assume grandfathering.
Traps
Assuming a wall is non-bearing because it runs parallel to the joists; stripping shoring before the beam is loaded; and cutting into a wall before the asbestos survey is complete.