CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSES & INSPECTIONS
Construction Services Division
Municipal Services Building - Concourse Level
1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
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STRUCTURAL
PLAN REVIEW GUIDELINES
I. SOILS & FOUNDATIONS
A. Soils Investigation & Foundation Design
1. A soils investigation report is required for all new foundations for new construction/additions, per code
Bulletin B9906-04, with the following exceptions:
Additions with a footprint of less than 2,000 sq. ft. and 3 or less stories
Reports from adjacent properties may be used; with Engineer’s letter of approval.
2. Plans Examiner shall verify that the content complies with Code Bulletin B9906-04:
no test pits
minimum depth of exploration is 10 feet
location of water table
3. Detail on adjacent alleys, sidewalk, yards, etc. and description of required sheeting and shoring must be
included as per Code Bulletin B-0503-R1.
4. The description of the proposed structure and the recommendations on foundation must be accurately reflected
on the proposed construction plan. Deviations may only be accepted if:
Endorsed in writing by the geotechnical engineer; or
Foundation plan is sealed by an engineer with a sealed statement confirming that design was based upon
the findings of the soils investigation report.
5. A design must meet the prescriptive requirements of Section 1809 of the 2018 IBC, or plans must be sealed by
an engineer. Conflicts with the geotechnical report must be resolved as noted above.
An architect is not permitted to ‘engineer’ a foundation system.
Foundations must extend at least 30” below grade or meet one of the alternative criteria or exception (low-
risk, one-story structures) of Section 1809.9.
Where the soils report identifies hydrostatic pressure, the design must comply with ground-water control
system requirements of Section 1803.5.4 or waterproofing requirements of Section 1805.3.
B. Excavation & Underpinning
1. Excavations shall not remove lateral support from any footing or foundation without first underpinning or
protecting the footing or foundation against settlement or lateral translation, per Section 1804.1.
2. Construction plans must reflect the depth of proposed footings and the depth of adjacent footings. If the
proposed footing extends below the adjacent footing, the plan must be sealed by the engineer.
Underpinning plans must reflect underpinning details and phasing (including timing). If proposal reflects
less than three phases, calculations shall be submitted.
Protections other than underpinning must be accompanied by calculations unless otherwise directed by a
supervisor.
3. Sheeting and Shoring shall be in accordance with Code Bulletin B-0503-R2.
For excavations up to 12’, sheeting and shoring shall be described in the soils investigation report.
Excavations greater than 5’ must meet OSHA standards and sheeting/ shoring must be verified by the
engineer at the time of excavation.
Excavations deeper than 12’ that are within 1.25 * depth of excavation of footway/ adjacent property
require engineered plans.
