BEDROOM IN BASEMENT CODES

[Mitesh Patel]

Hello members.

                         Can anyone tell me that what are the code requirements to consider a bedroom in the Basement as Legal Bedroom? I know for sure that an Egress Door or a Egress Window along with the specific requirement,is mandatorily required,but i have the following Questions for Basement Bedroom.

1) What are the Requirements for Size of the Bedroom?

2) What are the requirements for the Ceiling height of the Bedroom?

3) What are the requirements for the Ventilaton and Lighting in the bedroom?

4) Is it necessary to have a Closet in the bedroom or not?

thanks

[Davido Davido]

Local requirements may differ.  But typically your local code is based upon the following from the 2015 IRC (International Residential Code.   See also

http://www.egresswindows.com/its-the-law

 

Seven foot ceiling height

Seventy square feet of floor area, not including any closet area

A source of natural light (8% of the floor area)

A source of natural ventilation (4% of the floor area)

Can not be arranged such that access to a sleeping room can be had only be going through another sleeping room or a bathroom or toilet room. If the home was built prior to 11/2/1920, this situation is grandfathered, however.

Proper Egress – the requirements for this are long and complicated, and depend on when the building was built and when the last windows were installed.

There are a few other requirements, but there’s nothing about a closet.