City of Hamilton, Ohio - Permits for Commercial & Large Residential Buildings

Commercial, Industrial and Residential over three family
Building Permits

Ten copies of plans and specifications are required with the permit application. The following information is required to be shown on the plans for Commercial, Industrial and Residential buildings containing more than three dwelling units as regulated by the Ohio Building Code (OBC).

Construction documents must be dimensioned and drawn upon suitable material. Electronic media documents are permitted when approved by the building official. Construction documents must be coordinated and of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of the code. Construction drawings must include information necessary to determine compliance with the building, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection codes such as:

1. Index: An index of drawings located on the first sheet which must include all occupancy classifications, types of construction, the area in gross square feet for each level and the maximum occupant load.

2. Site Plan: A site plan showing to scale the size and location of new construction and all existing structures on the site, including setback and side yard dimensions, all property and interior lot lines, distances from lot lines, the locations of the nearest streets, the established street grades, types and sizes of all utility lines, and the elevations of all proposed finished grades; and it must be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary line survey. In the case of demolitions, the site plan must show construction to be demolished and the location and size of existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plot. The building official is authorized to waive or modify for requirements for a site plan when the application for approval is for alteration or repair or when other warranted.

The following utility information shall be supplied on the plot plan in order to process through the Utility Departments:

Electric service, location, voltage, wire and conduit size.
Total electric loads in KW.
Total gas loads in BTU.
Size and location of gas service lines and meter.

3. Buildings or structures located in flood hazard areas: Construction documents submitted for buildings or structures located in communities with identified flood hazard area must include the current FEMA Flood Hazard Boundary Map, Flood Insurance Rate Map or Flood Boundary Floodway Map for the project location. The required site plan must include building elevations using the same datum as the related flood hazard map. The owner must be responsible for the compliance with local flood damage prevention regulations for additional critical elevation information for the project site.

4. Floor Plans: Complete floor plans, including plans of full or partial basements and full or partial attics and penthouses. Floor plans must show all relevant information such as door swings, stairs and ramps, windows, shafts, all portions of the means of egress, etc. and shall be sufficiently dimensioned to describe all relevant space sizes. Wall materials must be described by cross-hatching with explanatory key, by notation or by other clearly understandable method. Spaces must be identified by code appellation. The construction documents must designate the number of occupants to be accommodated on every floor, and in all rooms and spaces.

5. Exterior wall envelope: Construction documents for all building must describe the exterior wall envelope in sufficient detail to determine compliance with this code. The construction documents must provide details of the exterior wall envelope as required, including flashing, intersections with dissimilar materials, corners, end details, control joints, intersections at roof, eaves, or parapets, means of drainage, water-resistive membrane, all elevations necessary to completely describe the exterior of the building including floor to floor dimensions, and details around openings. The construction documents must include supporting documentation that the proposed penetration and opening details described in the construction documents maintain the weather resistance of the exterior wall envelope and must be approved prior to the start of the system installation. The supporting documentation must fully describe the exterior wall system, which was tested, where applicable, as well as the test procedure.

6. Sections: Cross sections, wall sections, details including typical connections as required to fully describe the building construction showing wall, ceiling, floor and roof materials. Construction documents must describe the exterior wall envelope in sufficient detail to determine compliance with the code.

7. Structure: Complete structural description of the building including size and location of all structural elements and a table of live loads used in the design of the building and other data as required to fully describe the structural system.

8. Fire suppression system: Areas of protection and fire suppression system occupancy hazard classification.

9. Fire protection system drawings: Drawings for the fire protection systems must be submitted to indicate conformance with the code and the construction documents and must be approved prior to the start of system installation. Drawings must contain all information as required by the referenced installation standards.

10. Ratings: The fire resistance ratings of all structural elements as required by the code, data substantiating all required fire resistance ratings including details showing how penetrations will be made for electrical, mechanical, plumbing and communication conduits, pipes and systems and the materials and methods for maintaining the required structural integrity, fire resistance rating and fire stopping.

11. System descriptions: Complete description of the mechanical and electrical systems, including the location, materials and sizes of all plumbing piping, fixtures and equipment, plumbing schematics, the location, material and sizes of all heating, ventilation, air conditioning equipment and ductwork and all lighting and power equipment.

12. Additional information: Additional graphic or text information as may be reasonably required by the building official to allow the review of special or extraordinary construction methods or equipment.