Bedroom requirements

[dchambliss]

What are the minimal requirements to allow a room to be counted as a bedroom according to appraisal guidelines?

My understanding is:

• Have min ceiling height of 7'
• Be above grade, finished with plumbing & electric.
• Minimum of 70 sf
• Have at least 1 window with opening large enough for a fully suited fireman to be able to enter
• Must have an affixed closet.
  • Portable closet does not count

Please advise.

Thanks so much for your time & assistance

 

[Fernando]

What are the minimal requirements to allow a room to be counted as a bedroom according to appraisal guidelines?

My understanding is:

• Have min ceiling height of 7'
• Be above grade, finished with plumbing & electric.
• Minimum of 70 sf
• Have at least 1 window with opening large enough for a fully suited fireman to be able to enter
• Must have an affixed closet.
  • Portable closet does not count

Please advise.

Thanks so much for your time & assistance

Where did you get your info?
I didn't know there was a minimum size for bedroom. New construction bedrooms keep getting smaller.

 

[RSW]

Why would there have to be a closet? Half of the houses in North Knoxville would have no bedrooms if that is a requirement. Houses built in the late 19th century and early 20th century did not have closets in the bedrooms.

 

[Meandering]

Most bedrooms don't need plumbing of any kind.

But, it might be a good idea to check with your township and their building code. Otherwise, here is an explanation:

The Basic Building Code Requirements for Bedrooms

Whether you’re building a home addition or converting a space into a bedroom, it should comply with applicable building codes. Why Building Codes Are Important Building codes are a set of guidelines designed to address health and safety concerns in building design. The International Residential...

www.designbuildremodelinggroup.com

 

[dchambliss]

Where did you get your info?
I didn't know there was a minimum size for bedroom. New construction bedrooms keep getting smaller.

Size I got from google search, but the other requirements are per appraisal guidelines best I can remember. Perhaps requirements are state specific. The subject is in NJ

 

[Bob Ipock]

What are the minimal requirements to allow a room to be counted as a bedroom according to appraisal guidelines?

My understanding is:

• Have min ceiling height of 7'
• Be above grade, finished with plumbing & electric.
• Minimum of 70 sf
• Have at least 1 window with opening large enough for a fully suited fireman to be able to enter
• Must have an affixed closet.
  • Portable closet does not count

Please advise.

Thanks so much for your time & assistance

Your understanding is wrong on several of these. Don't take my word for it, go research this your self and cite where you found it. It does no good to accept answers from an unknown stranger.

 

[dchambliss]

Most bedrooms don't need plumbing of any kind.

But, it might be a good idea to check with your township and their building code. Otherwise, here is an explanation:

The Basic Building Code Requirements for Bedrooms

Whether you’re building a home addition or converting a space into a bedroom, it should comply with applicable building codes. Why Building Codes Are Important Building codes are a set of guidelines designed to address health and safety concerns in building design. The International Residential...

www.designbuildremodelinggroup.com

plumbing= heat source - radiator, fwa, hwbb etc.

Thanks for the info!

Quite helpful!

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

You can't just call any room a bedroom. It has more to do with functionality and layout than size or closets. It must have at least egress to the exterior of the home. You should not have to travel through one bedroom to get to another bedroom. There is no requirement for a closet. It must be suitable for year round use (proper heating).

I see family rooms being called a bedroom because it has a closet. I see enclosed patios with six windows from a living area looking into it be called a bedroom. I have seen dining rooms used as a bedroom. I have seen finished garages with the garage door still functional be called a bedroom. I have seen a bed in a laundry room before, that does make it a bedroom. I have seen lofts with ladder access be called a bedroom. The true question is what was the intended purpose of the room in the design and layout of the home.

 

[Meandering]

Size I got from google search, but the other requirements are per appraisal guidelines best I can remember. Perhaps requirements are state specific. The subject is in NJ

In 2000, the International Code Council developed a comprehensive set of property maintenance regulations designed to provide municipal code enforcement officials with guidance on a variety of issues concerning the construction and occupancy of structures. Like its predecessor, the BOCA Maintenance Code, nearly all municipalities in the State of New Jersey have incorporated the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) into their housing regulations.

Under the IPMC, Section 404.4, a bedroom must measure at least 70 square feet for a single occupant. Additional occupants shall require an additional 50 square feet per person. The IPMC further states that occupants of one bedroom should not have to cross through another bedroom in order to access a bathroom (or to access their own bedroom).

New Jersey Housing Occupancy Limits: How Many People is Too Many?

In 2000, the International Code Council developed a comprehensive set of property maintenance regulations designed to provide municipal code enforcement officials with guidance on a variety of issu…

www.newjerseyrealestateattorneyblog.com

IPMC, Section 404

15.14.330 IPMC Chapter 4, Section 404.4.2 Access from bedrooms - Amended.

Legal publisher offering ordinance codification services for local governments, specializing in providing codes of ordinances in print and on the Internet

codelibrary.amlegal.com

 

[Ariba]

What are the minimal requirements to allow a room to be counted as a bedroom according to appraisal guidelines?

My understanding is:

• Have min ceiling height of 7'
• Be above grade, finished with plumbing & electric.
• Minimum of 70 sf
• Have at least 1 window with opening large enough for a fully suited fireman to be able to enter
• Must have an affixed closet.
  • Portable closet does not count

Please advise.

Thanks so much for your time & assistance

Bedrooms do not have to be above ground. However, must have an egress window
Must have a door
Most houses with above-ground bedrooms do not have windows large enough for "Fully suited firemen" to be able to enter. Where did you get that information from?

On the bright side, you at least got 2 right.