The DREAM BuildCast Ep. 5 (Part 2) | Change of Use Deep Dive: Real Code Impacts, Daycare Design & Lessons Learned

In Part 2 of Episode 5 of The DREAM BuildCast, Nicholas Robinson continues the Change of Use discussion with Alex Walker and Devon Ellis, diving even deeper into the real-world challenges of adapting existing buildings for new uses — from business to daycare and beyond.This episode moves from theory to practice, unpacking how code categories, hazard levels, and compartmentalization directly affect design, safety, and project feasibility. The team explores how a simple use change can lead to complex — and costly — requirements around firewalls, sprinklers, and egress, especially when daycares or institutional occupancies are involved.The conversation also touches on the business realities of these upgrades — how costs are divided between owners and tenants, what makes a space viable (or not), and why many projects fail before they even start.