what make a room a Bedroom?
Image Taken by Diana W for FHH.com
Hello again and welcome! As a first time home buyer, you may look at a few homes before making a decision. A few of the home you view, may have you asking your Realtor, is that a bedroom? This may be due to the size, shape or lack of a window and or a closet.
\While there is no single legal definition for a bedroom in Texas, the International Residential Code (IRC), published by the International Code Council and adopted by Texas in 2001, have establish a set of residential building standards that does include requirements for what can be considered a bedroom.
According to the IRC, a bedroom should have a floor area of not less than 70 square feet and not less than 7 feet in any horizontal dimension and a minimum ceiling height of 7 feet. In addition, at least one operable emergency escape and rescue opening of not less than 5.7 square feet, and an egress window that must have a minimum width of 20 inches, a minimum height of 24 inches, with a maximum window sill height of 44 inches.
Keep in mind, if you are purchasing a home that was build prior to the adoption of the IRC by Texas, while the above standards can be imposed by IRC, the International Fire Code, local building official, and the International Property Maintenance Code, they are not required to comply with IRC standards.
With regards to closet, this is not govern by the IRC or Texas Property Code, however, local residential codes may require a room to have closet, in addition to the above requirements, before it can be counted as a bedroom. Also, FHA, VA and other lenders may have their own definition for a bedroom within their appraisal guidelines.
So there you have it. While a closet may or may not be required, size, ceiling height and at least one operable escape opening with set dimensions are required for a room to be considered a bedroom. Happy house hunting.
We at First Home Houston is always looking out for your best interest. As always, we thank you for stopping by. Until next time… Diana.
