What is a Bedroom

Let's start with a few sizes of items that are found in a bedroom.  Beds for example are this size and the room for an average human to move around a bed is approx. 24”+. Now keep in mind the minimum hall way size is 36” so if you have 36” between the bed and the wall that is a very good space.  Wheel chair movement through a home is minimum 32” with 36” of continues space, and turning radius of 60”.

Bed                       Size (w x l)      

Full Baby Crib       28” x 52”

Single                    30” x 75”

Twin                      38” x 75”

Queen                  60” x 80”

King                     76” x 80”

Add a bed side table at 24” wide.  A chest of drawers at 36” to 48” wide by 20” deep.  A bedroom dresser with a mirror are typically about 60” to 76” wide.

The minimum standard for a bedroom is 70 sq.ft., that is a very small room, 10’ x 7’ and no less than 7’ ceiling height.  Here is the layout of different sizes of beds and furniture in a number of different sizes of bedrooms.  Most new homes have bedrooms in the range of 12’ x 14’.

Looking closely at this diagram you will see that a king size bed, with two end tables, and 1 dresser in a 12’ x 14’ room is still tight.

Safety - Egress

Egress is the action of going out of or leaving a place. All home and buildings are required by code to have two egress points, and this is true for just about ever room in the house.  To be clear and Bathroom is not considered a room for the purpose of egress.  A bedroom MUST have two egress points, one MUST be a door, and the other MUST be a window.  The window must be no less than 5.7 sq. ft. so a fire fighter with a full set of gear, can get into the room to save people.  5.7 sq. ft. is based on the actual opening in the wall that the window is in, so the fire fighter can break out the glass and the hole will be no smaller than 5.7 sq. ft.  The minimum window opening size is 20” wide by 24” tall and no higher than 44” off the floor.  Depending on the state you live in, some states required the window to be 32” x 48” as a double hung window (double hung means you have two pieces of glass, one on top and one on the bottom, and typically at least one of the pieces opens).  Also keep in mind the larger the window the more natural light is let into the room making for a much more enjoyable living quarters.

Every family should have a plan and practice it once a year in the case of a fire.  Here is a typical plan for a 4 bedroom second floor of a home.

Bedrooms have the highest search and value for homes and apartments.  The expression “Heads in Beds” is very true for just about all dwellings.  When selling a home, the more bedrooms, the more value to the home.  A home that is 4,000 sq. ft. with 2 bedrooms, on the same street as a home that is 3000 sq,. ft. with 4 bedrooms is worth less money assuming the same finishes in the home.  To this end the more bedrooms one has the better chance of selling the home for more money. 

Closet

It is believed that for a bedroom to be a bedroom it must have a closet, this is not true, as the town building department can and will classify a room with a door, and a window and no less than 70 sq. ft. as a bedroom assuming the home does not have utility restrictions (septic system restrictions).  Where the issue comes in is with FHA inspections.  When a buyer is pre-approved for an FHA Loan, the FHA inspector will review the home for safety concerns, and to determine the home is valid under FHA rules.  FHA DOES require a bedroom to have a closet.

Bathroom

Here is just a point to consider when looking at a home.  It is always ideal to have a full bathroom close to the bedrooms.  Many times we are asked to help sell a home with all the bedrooms upstairs and the full bathroom is down stairs.  As you can image this creates a logistical challenge every morning with showers and getting ready for school/work.  The new building codes for bathrooms make is much more affordable to build a bathroom on the second floor of a home today than in past years.  Talk to a builder about adding a bathroom close to the bedrooms before you purchase a home that does not have a close bathroom.

We hope you've found our Smith Lake-focused blog valuable and informative. Continue visiting us for more insights and tips tailored to the Smith Lake, Alabama, community. For unparalleled local real estate expertise, turn to The King Team at REMAX Patriot Realty, your dedicated partners in the Smith Lake region.