Bedrooms are one of the most important selling features of a home, and there are a number of factors that determine whether a room qualifies as a bedroom. Sellers and agents are known to be creative in calling rooms bedrooms, and will push the envelope and tag rooms that do not meet the criteria as a bedroom. So what makes a bedroom a bedroom?
Required Features Of A Bedroom:
Ways to tell if a room qualifies as a bedroom – criteria can vary by state and local laws
– Egress: A bedroom needs at least two methods of egress. Traditionally this means a door and a window. According to the International Residential Code (IRC), a bedroom window must be between 24 and 44 inches from the floor, it needs at least 5.7 square feet for the opening, and it must measure no less than 24 inches high and 20 inches wide
– Ceiling Height: A bedroom ceiling needs to be at least 7 feet in height. It’s okay if some portions of the ceiling are below this level, but at least 50% of the ceiling needs to be a minimum of 7 feet in height.
– Minimum Square Footage: The room should be at least 70 square feet.
– Minimum Horizontal Footage: A bedroom must also measure at least 7 feet in any horizontal direction. That is why you can’t call a hallway a bedroom!
– Heating and Cooling: A permanent heat source is required – a space heater won’t qualify – as well as a way to cool it down, whether that’s by opening a window or air conditioning.
– Electricity: a bedroom needs to have a source of electricity.
Does a bedroom need a closet?
Technically a bedroom does not have to have a closet to be considered official. The IRC does not mandate a bedroom to have a closet. So the lack of a closet does not necessarily mean a room cannot be a bedroom. However most housing guidelines, lenders, and buyers expect a bedroom to have a closet. If it does not it should be labeled as something else like a “bonus room” or office.
Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086
