We just moved into an townhouse in Santa Monica, CA and one of the steps going down to the laundry/garage is angled down 5% as opposed to being completely flat (as the rest of the steps are). It is hard to see visually but you definitely feel it coming up/down the stairs. My wife is pregnant and it feels very unsafe. The manager says it is within code, and does not want to fix the issue (the step is made out of floating floor so I assume the cost to fix would be higher than he'd like).
Is this a common issue? What is the language I should be looking for in building codes that references this issue? Is this something we just have to live with?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Best Answer
If there are more than 2 units in your building, you are dealing with Section 1009 of the International Building Code. (I’d call your local Building Permit Office to insure they adopted this Code.)
Section 1009.5.1 says, “The walking surface of treads and landings of a stairway shall not be sloped steeper than one unit in 48 units horizontally (2%) in any direction. Stairway treads and landings shall have a solid surface.”
I’d caution you on requiring the owner to fix the step, “or else”, because they could close the stairway as “unsafe”.
They need to provide an access to the parking garage, but it doesn’t have to be convenient. They could make you exit the building and walk around the building and enter the garage through the car drive in area.