Minimum size for a bedroom?

[Crystal Freeman]

I am unable to find anything in writing that gives me a minimum size for a room to be considered a bedroom. I have found that the requirements are

1. A Window
2. A door
3. A closet

I assume that as long as the room is large enough for a bed and dresser, that if it meets the above requirements it is a bedroom.

I need to see if anyone knows if I am just missing the measurement or square footage requirement somewhere.

 

[Dave Fitch]

Many years ago the FHA standard was minimum of 72 square feet. If you can visualize an 8' x 9' room with a bed in it and the traffic pattern and door swing, it is quite small.

 

[DH Wilson]

Closet really isnt a requirement if its an older building or style.

 

[Crystal Freeman]

It is 8 x 9. I know it is small, however this is a two family unit with the upstairs unit having 3 bedrooms and the lower unit having two. I have over a dozen comparable properties within .25 mile that all have this exact layout with the third bedroom upstairs this size. I am just trying to clarify this because, as an apprentice, my supervisor will not put this room as a bedroom. This of course makes it inferior to all of the comps. He insists that if the room is not 10 x 10 it cannot be a bedroom.

 

[Panduro Alonso]

I think that it would depend on "market" acceptance of the "bedroom". If the space is so small as to not be practical for bedroom use, then why would the market pay for the additional "bedroom"? The answer is that they wouldnt (typically). In fact, I've done some homes where the bedroom count was one bedroom, with this very small second bedroom, so small, that it detracted from the subjects marketability. While the space could function as a closet or small office area, it was not accepted as being a 2 bedroom house by the market (I had tons of historical data). Owner and public records both stated this to be a 2 bedroom house, while this was true, technically, its marketability was that of a 1 bedroom, and as a result, had to be compared to single bedrooms. All markets are different. Call some area agents and see what they tell you regarding your specific area. Also do some targeted searching on MLS or others, to see for yourself how the market tends to react in such cases.

 

[Couch Potato]

Be consistent.

It is 8 x 9. I know it is small, however this is a two family unit with the upstairs unit having 3 bedrooms and the lower unit having two. I have over a dozen comparable properties within .25 mile that all have this exact layout with the third bedroom upstairs this size. I am just trying to clarify this because, as an apprentice, my supervisor will not put this room as a bedroom. This of course makes it inferior to all of the comps. He insists that if the room is not 10 x 10 it cannot be a bedroom.

If the comps have the same layout, they have the same number of bedrooms under your supervisor's definition. Don't get all caught up in the "bedroom" label. As a Trainee you have to adapt to the quirks of your Supervisor as long as the quirks are judgement types of issues and not issues of fraud.

Spend time here in the forum to be sure you know the difference between the two.

 

[bart nathan]

Its your opinion if you think its to small it could be a den, storage area office?

 

[Mike Dzurick]

I believe a bedroom has a minimum sf, 72sf sounds right, heat source, large enough egress window, privacy door, adequate ceiling height 6' 8"-7', something like that, and at least one electrical outlet.

 

[BarbaraNJ]

Size

Crystal:

If your state has adopted a Construction Code (Like International Building Code, or BOCA, etc) you would find the minimum dimension there.

However, if the home you are inspecting was constructed before the adoption of a building code, just about any size room called a "bedroom" at the time it was constructed is legally allowed to be used as a bedroom. No one says it has to be comfortable !!

In New Jersey, the state adopted a Uniform Construction Code in 1977 to make regulations uniform throughout the state.

If your state (or county) has never adopted a building code, I would then defer to any reference made by a government agency such as HUD or FHA, etc.

 

[ttaM kooC]

Like someone who is no doubt smarter than me said, if the comps have the same layout, who cares what you call it?

In the tract model I live in, two of the three bedrooms have built-in closets and the third has a "built-out" closet. Lots of people started using the third bedroom as a home office and removed the built-out closet (that's where I am typing this from). It is still comparable to the other 3-bedroom models, and if someone tried to find 2-bedroom comps to compare it with they would be a) a moron and b) in for a world of hurt as there are no 2-bedrooms in this tract.