Using 2018 residential building codes, when and where do you need landings on exterior stairs?

Question

I am doing a new build that requires 2018 Residential Building Codes from the International Building Code. Chapter 3 is the part that applies to this question. There are no amendments to this portion of the IBC to add anything specific for this city or state.

I have built a few exterior stairways from the house and the inspector has told me a few things that don't quite make sense.

Here's how I built the stairs, which were designed with how I interpreted what would be within the code requirements.

Front Door

Side Door

The inspector is telling me that I need to have a landing within the first two steps out the door, so both of these designs are not in compliance. On both installs, he says that I could make the first step out the door into a landing, or the second step out into a landing, and then I would need to make whatever other steps are needed to meet the bottom landing. Essentially, he is saying that both doors require a top landing, but in some options to fix this, there is a "riser" (a step) above the top landing, which makes no sense to me.

He is citing R311.3.2 Floor elevations at other exterior doors, which reads:

Doors other than the required egress door shall be provided with landings or floors not more than 7-3/4 inches (196 mm) below the top of the threshold. Exception: A top landing is not required where a stairway of not more than two risers is located on the exterior side of the door, provided that the door does not swing over the stairway.

Maybe this comes down to what a "riser" is. In the Side Door picture, I count that as two risers, from the bottom landing made out of pavers up to the first step is one, then up again to the second step is two. The fact that you have to "step" up again does not make it a riser on the stairs. Or does it?

Even if this is the case, that means I do have three risers on the Front Door picture, so then I do need a top landing on the Front Door. However, if I simply took out the top riser on the Front Door, then there would be only two risers just like the Side Door, and this would be in compliance with R311.3.1 Floor elevations at the required egress door, which has an exception for exterior doors allowing the first step to be up to 7-3/4 inches (instead of the 1-1/4 that it is now). With his wanted corrections now, and with reading the code, I'm only getting more confused on when and where the code is requiring top landings.

Either way, if I need to build top landings now, that's basically a little deck, and now I'd be subject to further building codes?

Answer 1

I'm no code expert, but it seems to me that (a) the front door is 3 risers and absolutely requires a landing and that (b) is arguably three risers, because if you set it up exactly like the front door (3 steps on 3 actual risers) then physically it would be basically the same.

From a very practical standpoint, my sense is that code is designed such that you to have a place where you can safely stand while you fumble for the keys, knock on the door, etc. and also be able to put packages down while you are locking or unlocking the door. Whether the inspector is giving a normal interpretation of the code or an extreme interpretation, it actually doesn't seem that unreasonable to me.

In addition, the 9 pavers at the bottom of each "staircase" is itself problematic because there is nothing to prevent them from moving over time and becoming a real safety hazard. You should either pour a concrete slab or dig several inches down and put a layer of gravel and then sand and embed the pavers in the sand.

As far as this being "building a deck", the vast majority of the concerns about a deck just simply don't apply with a small landing 2 feet or so above grade, so I wouldn't be too concerned about that. However, I would recommend making a drawing showing all dimensions of the planned solution so that you get approved on the next try instead of having to potentially redo things yet again. As I understand the code, the minimum is "width of the door" x "36 inches", but it is worth verifying before building. In particular, make 100% certain that "width of the door" for a slider refers only to the movable portion.

As far as the initial drop to the landing (i.e., up to 7-3/4"), that is perfectly normal to a landing as often doors will be a little bit higher to keep out rain coming through the threshold and other issues. But that's one step up from a landing to the door, which is very different from simply ending a staircase at a door.