Adding a closet in bonus room to make it a bedroom?

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

I was looking at bedroom definitions just recently. I am not saying Tim is wrong just reporting that my "The Language of Real Estate Appraisal" book of definitions states "Each bedroom should have at least one closet with interior lighting". And interestingly it makes no mention of a secondary exit.

Within the International Residential Code (IRC), a room must have certain features before it can be called a usable bedroom. Most of these features involve both safety and livability.

Habitable bedrooms must have at least 2 exits, at least one of which must be a door. The second exit can be a window that also must be a minimum dimension. The current IRC sets the minimum opening area at 5'7" with a minimum opening height of 24 inches and width of 20 inches. You will want to check your local building code for specifics relating to your situation.

 

[Amy Perkins]

The assessor probably does not have it as living area on the tax roll. Call them and tell them you want it as living area, then when the appraiser pulls the record it will match up when he measures. Also, if you want it to be a bedroom put a bed in it. I have heard about this closet thing as far as a bedroom goes from other appraisers. You could put a walk-in closet or a built in closet making it a bedroom for some appraisers who follow this closet rule.

 

[Walter Kirk]

Do you plan a 900 square foot bedroom? Is that common in your market area?
If I had that much space to configure I would consult a professional.

 

[Mike Kennedy]

I had a rather large addition put onto my house in 2008/2009. There is a bonus room (above the garage) that was permitted and has insulation, windows (conforming to egress/fire entrance codes), and AC/Heating, and electrical. It passed inspection and then I had the room drywalled, painted, and carpeted so I could count it as Finished Space. For whatever reason the county documented the area as unfinished (perhaps because it had no drywall, paint or floor covering-that was done later and did not require a permit).

Anyway, It's about 900 square feet. It has a door to the rest of the house (no separate door from the outside/garage). So you walk upstairs, go through a hallway and there's a door to the bonus room.

I'd like to add a closet to make it a bedroom. (so the house will then have 5 bedrooms, 2.something baths since the other bathroom has a separate tub and a shower).

But what constitutes a closet? Does it have to be enclosed? In other words, can I have like California Closets or similar stuff attached to one of the walls, or do I also have to build a wall around it and put a door on it? Most walk-in closets I see don't have doors, but then again, what determines a "walk-in" closet? Does it need some minimium amount of wall length to "separate" it from the rest of the room? Or can it just be in the same space?

I will obviously check with local code before adding anything that requires building walls,etc.

This is in the Albany, NY area (technically Loudonville, NY).

Thank you

Is your property on public water & sewer or septic ?? If on septic - most suburban & rural County & Town Municipalities tie the number of bedrooms to the max capacity of the private waste system. http://www.ecode360.com/6719894

P.S. the answer you seek can be had by discussing your planned improvement with your Town's Building Inspector
Building and Fire Services Paul Shepard 783-2706
. http://www.colonie.org/building/

 

[Mr Rex]

I was looking at bedroom definitions just recently. I am not saying Tim is wrong just reporting that my "The Language of Real Estate Appraisal" book of definitions states "Each bedroom should have at least one closet with interior lighting". And interestingly it makes no mention of a secondary exit.

So its not a closet without interior lighting or its not a bedroom if the closet doesn't have interior lighting?

 

[Lee Lansford]

The market will view this "bonus room"...however the market will view it.

Paying a few dollars to add a closet will very likely make little (if any) difference to the Market Value of your property.

 

[CindyR]

So its not a closet without interior lighting or its not a bedroom if the closet doesn't have interior lighting?

I wondered about that too but that is the exact sentence. I think it means the bedroom should have interior lighting and the bedroom should have a closet. Authors are Jeffrey Fisher, Robert Martin and Paige Mosbaugh and it was published in 1991. It also states "the number of bedrooms in a house is usually indicated by neighborhood standards, with two- and three-bedroom homes being the most widely accepted." I don't think I agree with that either but the closet reference helps explain why so many appraisers and non-appraisers believe a bedroom must have a closet.

The final bit of wisdom at the beginning of the definition: "A room, usually measuring at least 80 square feet that is used as a sleeping area in residential properties."

 

[RSW]

I was looking at bedroom definitions just recently. I am not saying Tim is wrong just reporting that my "The Language of Real Estate Appraisal" book of definitions states "Each bedroom should have at least one closet with interior lighting". And interestingly it makes no mention of a secondary exit.

If that be the case, then half of the houses in North Knoxville would have no bedrooms. They were built in the last 1880's to the mid 1920s. No Closets in the bedrooms.

 

[Mr Rex]

Are lamps sufficient interior lighting to be considered a bedroom?

 

[Marty Boone]

Have you considered buying a really nice Armoire or Wardrobe? Also, I would think twice before calling the local assessor and having that finished bonus room being added to your total finished living area $$$$.