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Codes & standards for manufactured structure or trailers set up for temporary use such as a construction office.
This article series assists mobile home, trialer, or doublewide owners and inspectors of those homes who need to find the appicable codes and standards for manufactured homes, multiwides, trailers or mobile homes.
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Codes for Temporary-Use Trailers, Offices, Storage
Question: can I set up a mobile office trailer from another state
2019/01/31 roger dauenhauer said:
As a company if we bring a office trailer from another state what do codes mean to this ?what are the codes and what do they mean?
Reply:
Roger
The transported office trailer, IF it were being used as a residence, or as a permanent structure, then the structure would be expected to comply with local codes, and probably it would, as the manufacturer typically manufactures their homes to be permitted for sale across multiple states.
In addition its installation such as tie-downs, set-backs, walks, drives, utility connections, property setbacks all would pertain.
However when installing a manufactured structure or trailer for use as an office, storage, or o ther temporary structure, generally most of those constraints apply: as it's a temporary-use structure that probably falls under different code enforcement concerns.
Often, property set-backs must be in compliance and certainly you want the major or most-common safety hazards and concerns to be addressed such as proper tie-downs in wind zones, safe steps and rails, safe electrical hookups, etc.
Examples of U.S. and Canadian temporary structure rules for manufactured structures like office trailers are given below on this page. Here is an example from the Orlando FL code you will find there.
Construction trailers shall not be required to meet development standards for permanent structures (parking, landscaping etc.) but shall meet applicable setback requirements.
This Q&A on temporary set-up manufactured structures or office trailers were posted originally
Building Codes & Permit Processes for Temporary-Use Trailers & Offices
ARIZONA, MARICOPA COUNTY TEMPORARY TRAILER REQUIREMENTS [PDF] (2012) Maricopa County Planning & Development Department, https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5671/Construction-Storage-and-Office-Trailers-2012-12-PDF
CALIFORNIA BURNABY TEMPORARY BUILDINGS & STRUCTURES PERMIT PROCEDURES [PDF] City of Burnaby CA, retrieved 2019/01/31 original source: https://www.burnaby.ca/Assets/city+services/building/Brochures+$!26+Bulletins/Building+Technical+Information/Temporary+Buildings+$!26+Structures.pdf
CALIFORNIA FREMONT, CHECKLIST FOR PLAN REVIEW:
TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION TRAILERS [PDF] (2015) BUILDING & SAFETY DIVISION │ PLANS AND PERMITS DIVISION
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CENTER
39550 LIBERTY STREET, FREMONT,CA 94538
P: 510.494.4443 │ F: 510.494.4820
WWW.FREMONT.GOV retrieved 2019/01/31, original source: https://fremont.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21216/CONSTRUCTION-TRAILER-CHECKLIST
Excerpt: Building Permits are required for the installation is all temporary construction trailers.
Typical
construction trailer permits are valid for a period of 6 months. Exceptions are made at the discretion of the Building
Official.
For all construction trailers exceeding 1,650 square or installed for duration longer than 12 months, or at a
distance less than 20 feet from the property line, other buildings, structures and combustibles, an automatic fire
suppression system shall be installed.
CANADA, SASKATOON, MODULAR BUILDING APPLICATION INFORMATION [PDF], City of Saskatoon, Building Standards 222-3 Rd Ave North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5 CANADA retrieved 2019/01/31 original source: saskatoon.ca/sites/default/files/documents/community-services/building-standards/modular_building_handout.pdf
FLORIDA, ORLANDO TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION/OFFICE TRAILER
PERMITTING: ON SITE [PDF], Economic Development Departmentoffice Of Permitting Services
City Hall 400 South Orange Avenue first Floor p.o. Box 4990 Orlando, Florida 32802-4990 retrieved 2019/01/31, original source: http://www.cityoforlando.net/permits/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2014/11/Checklist1ATempConstOfficeTrailer-Nov-2014.pdf
ILLINOIS, NAPERVILLE, TRAILER PERMIT APPLICATION [PDF] Transportation, Engineering, & Development (T.E.D.)
Business Group, 400 S. Eagle Street, Naperville IL. Applications will not be accepted by mail. Tel: (630) 420-6100 retrieved 2019/01/31, original source: https://www.naperville.il.us/globalassets/media/permits-and-licenses/trailer-installation-permit.pdf
MARYLAND, TRAILER PERMIT APPLICATION, NON-RESIDENTIAL, TEMPORARY [PDF] Division Of Planning And Permitting Frederick County, Maryland Department Of Permits And Inspections 30 North Market Street Frederick, Maryland 21701 Phone (301) 600 - 2313 Fax (301) 600 - 2309 retrieved 2019/01/31, original source: frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4835/Building-Trailer-NonRes-Construc-Office-Sales?bidId=
Excerpt: Construction projects frequently require contractors to maintain temporary on-site office and storage facilities.
On-site office facilities may be referred to as office trailers, job trailers, construction trailers, project offices,
storage trailers, etc.
On-site offices that are occupied and/or provided with electrical service shall be approved by this office under the Ohio Building Code as follows ....
In addition to those specifications for safe steps and railings, most states require safe and securely-attached entry and exit stairs at both the primary entry to the home and also to a secondary safety or fire exit pathway from the home.
Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting:
A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome.
Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
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