Remodel Contracting Podcast

Jeff Bass Discusses Why Commercial Codes Keep Changing

• Jeff Bass • Episode 16

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Why Codes Change For Commercial Properties?

Buildings don’t stand still, and neither do the rules that keep them safe. We sit down with general contractor Jeff Bass to unpack why commercial building codes evolve and how owners, developers, and contractors can stay ahead of shifting standards without blowing timelines or budgets. From safety data to technology upgrades, Jeff connects the dots between public risk, accessibility, and the rapid pace of innovation inside modern buildings.

We start with the forces that drive change: fire events, structural failures, electrical hazards, storms, and the human realities of evacuations and crowd flow. Jeff explains how accessibility fits squarely into public safety, shaping requirements for entrances, parking, restrooms, counters, seating, and elevators. Then we turn to technology, where smarter HVAC, integrated fire suppression, energy controls, security systems, battery storage, and EV charging push code forward. If you design a 2025 building with 2005 rules, you invite incompatibility and risk—and you pay for it later.

Commercial properties carry more liability than homes, and the stakes are higher: bigger roofs, open spans, complex power, and hundreds of occupants. That’s why cities enforce stricter standards and aim for safer, more efficient buildings. Jeff shares a practical playbook to stay ahead: track International Building Code updates and local amendments, build relationships with plan reviewers and fire marshals, and design for the adoption cycle that’s coming, not just the one on the books today. The payoff is real—fewer surprises, faster approvals, and spaces that perform better for everyone who walks through the door.

If you care about resilience, efficiency, and inclusive design, this conversation will help you make smarter choices before they get costly. Subscribe, share the show with a teammate who handles compliance, and leave a quick review to tell us what code change is top of mind for your next project.

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SPEAKER_01:

Welcome to the Remodel Contracting Podcast, where outdated spaces meet their modern makeover destiny. Hosted by Jeff Bass, general contractor, home renovation expert, and guy who firmly believes your avocado green bathroom has gotta go. Based in the DFW Metro, Remodel Contracting is here to help you level up your living space. Because hey, you updated your wardrobe. Now it's time to update your home. Expect more, live better. Let's remodel.

SPEAKER_00:

Commercial property codes aren't static. They evolve with safety, technology, and community needs. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Sophia Ivet, co-host and producer, back in the studio with General Contractor and Home Renovation Ext, Jeff Bess. Jeff, how's it going today?

SPEAKER_02:

Doing wonderful, Sophia. Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_00:

Great. Happy to be back with you, Jeff. Now let's dive right in. Why do codes change for commercial properties?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, as you mentioned, um, you know, technology changes, things change, uh, whether it be related to safety, fire protection, structural integrity, public welfare, you know, every major code change that you've seen can be tied back to one of those four things. Something failed somewhere, new technology became available, and such, and codes have to uh change to catch up.

SPEAKER_00:

Getting into things a bit deeper here, Jeff, what role does public safety play in driving code changes?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, public safety can be related to a lot of things, whether that be uh, you know, things such as fire, structural collapses, storms, electrical hazards. Um, even accessibility is considered under a public safety. You know, let's say, for example, um a panic happens at a nightclub and people have to exit. There's a fire and they have to exit quickly. Um, and you know, we look back at that situation and see if there's new rules that need to be uh put in place for exits or occupancy flow. Um you know, also related to safety, um, accessibility, you know, commercial properties must meet ADA accessibility guidelines, which is not just for entrances, but also for parking, restrooms, seating, counters, elevators, et cetera. Um, as society changes, our expectations rise um to take care of others, and code follows that in suit. Uh cities don't want lawsuits, and um, you know, property owners need to make their properties accessible.

SPEAKER_00:

Jeff, why do you find code changes so important to this industry?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, because it's a reflection of society. Um, you know, it reflects our our interest in taking care of others, um, whether that be, like I said, through accessibility for all, um, you know, being inclusive, whether that be through safety. Um, you know, it's of course we don't ever want to see any kind of natural disasters, and we definitely don't want to see disasters that are caused by man, such as uh a structure being built in properly. And and we want to, you know, we want our industry to evolve with the times, whether those times are culturally related or whether those times are technological related. And it's very important for builders and remodelers to keep up with those changes so that they can keep up with societal expectations.

SPEAKER_00:

How do advances in building materials or technology influence updates?

SPEAKER_02:

That's great, and that's another category, right? Technology moves faster than codes, and code has to try to keep up. You know, commercial buildings rely more on technology than ever, whether it be HVA systems, fire suppression, energy control, security systems, and now even newer technology, battery storage, EV charger, low voltage integration, there's all kinds of things. And when the tech evolves, the code has to evolve. Otherwise, you end up with systems that are unsafe, inefficient, or even incompatible. Um, you know, you can't design a 2025 commercial building using 2005 assumptions. Um and, you know, and related to technology, we're talking, we're talking about commercial properties here, right? Commercial properties bring with them more risk than residential properties. Reasons such as higher occupant loads, right? You don't have 500 people in your house a day. Um, you know, commercial buildings may, you know, you've got higher occupant loads, you have more complex electrical systems, larger roofs, greater open spans, uh, higher fire loads. Um, there's a lot more liability exposure for commercial than there is for residential, which is why so much emphasis is put on adhering to proper commercial codes. Cities need to be, cities want to be safer. And in code, you know, of course, code is it's enforced by the city. It's put in place by the city that you're occupying, right? Cities want to be safer and they want more efficient buildings. Um, outdated buildings are expensive. Um, you know, the bottom line is code changes because the world changes. Technology, safety data, building failures, lawsuits, insurance pressure, accessibility expectations, and even politics play a role. Uh commercial properties carry more risk and liability, so the codes need to evolve more aggressively. Um, you know, if you're a property owner or a developer and you're ignoring this stuff, it only makes the job more expensive later. You know, staying ahead of code changes is the cheapest insurance policy you can buy.

SPEAKER_00:

One final question for you today, Jeff. How can contractors help clients stay ahead of compliance shifts?

SPEAKER_02:

Paying attention to changes in commercial code. And then, you know, the commercial codes, whether they be uh ICC, IBC, they are international building codes. Um and paying attention to those changes and then looking at them on the municipal level where they are enforced and just keeping up with those changes that cities are putting in place and also keeping up with the changes that are coming down from the national level through the International Building Code, looking at that and seeing what is coming and what the city will be adopting in the in the coming years.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Jeff, thank you so much for breaking that down for us today. We'll see you next time on Remodel Contracting Podcast.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you, Sophia. Bye-bye.

SPEAKER_01:

That's a wrap for this episode of Remodel Contracting Podcast. Ready to kick that 90s kitchen to the curb? For a free in home consultation, call 469 831 5620 or visit Remodelcontracting.net. Expect more because your home deserves better. And honestly, so do you.