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If that were true, then many pre-war houses would have no bedrooms. I actually did not know that there were states where this was true. Which states, if I might ask?
I don't know if this applies to the OP but with all the HGTV types shows, does no one every remember that a bedroom in the basement always must have some opening to the outside in order for it to be counted as a bedroom? Including a closet? Maybe it's just me then.
Yes, and actually the idea is safe egress in the event of emergency such as fire. Some require the basement to be finished in the area of the bedrooms too. Secondary egress from the basement...not just the stairs upstairs in some areas.
Some require a closet. But, of course, there are historic ones with no closets.
If that were true, then many pre-war houses would have no bedrooms. I actually did not know that there were states where this was true. Which states, if I might ask?
There are such states but I've experienced in those same states historic homes are another story.
If that were true, then many pre-war houses would have no bedrooms. I actually did not know that there were states where this was true. Which states, if I might ask?
Location: Mokelumne Hill, CA & El Pescadero, BCS MX.
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Originally Posted by luv4horses
If that were true, then many pre-war houses would have no bedrooms. I actually did not know that there were states where this was true. Which states, if I might ask?
CA is another, and quite frankly I think it's in the Uniform Building Code at this point, which may or may not be adopted by local jurisdictions (with local modifications).
Lack of egress may also be a National Fire Code issue.
I don't know if this applies to the OP but with all the HGTV types shows, does no one every remember that a bedroom in the basement always must have some opening to the outside in order for it to be counted as a bedroom? Including a closet? Maybe it's just me then.
They don't always mention that, but the home refirb ones do. My agent said this one house I looked at had one room you could use as a bedroom but it didn't have a closet so it couldn't be listed as one.
My sil's house was supposedly bought with an inspection. What this supposed inspection missed was the five different and unconnected parts of the foundation from add ons. Despite much work they still shift with the swarms of earthquakes we have. Make sure your inspector does a proper job.
If the rest of the house is okay, if I was the OP, I'd put in the access on the rooms and call it a lesson. It preserves their assumed value and is a whole lot safer.
CA is another, and quite frankly I think it's in the Uniform Building Code at this point, which may or may not be adopted by local jurisdictions (with local modifications).
Lack of egress may also be a National Fire Code issue.
I can't find a link that agrees with the idea that the building code says bedrooms require closets. The first two I could find definitely did not have closest as a requirement:
If that were true, then many pre-war houses would have no bedrooms. I actually did not know that there were states where this was true. Which states, if I might ask?
Pennsylvania is one unless that's a myth. Pre war is probably grandfathered.
My mother's agent tried listing her house calling her finished porch a bedroom. ALL the other agents showing up with buyers called her out on it.
When I google it lots of sites come up discussing if it's a myth or not.
I can't find a link that agrees with the idea that the building code says bedrooms require closets. The first two I could find definitely did not have closest as a requirement:
It might be something like fruits, where botanists and grocers have similar but different definitions.
The general rule to be called a bedroom is that it must be closed off by a door/has privacy (so lofts aren't generally bedrooms), has an escapable window (does not need to be to current codes but a typical person has to be able to fit through it), has a closet, is finished and has a source of heat. So basement bedrooms with cement slab floors are generally not bedrooms. But a basement room that is finished that has a higher window that someone can get out of, that isn't as low as current building standards require, would still be considered a bedroom.
OP, you had an appraisal on the house, yes? Look at your appraisal. You will see that they might call the house a two bedroom house but they do count the two extra spaces as rooms in the house that have value because the typical buyer would use them as bedrooms which add value.
There are old houses that technically have no bedrooms on an appraisal, but have 5 rooms that buyers of old houses would indeed use as bedrooms with an armoire. Most agents, at least here locally, write in the MLS that they are 5 bedroom homes, but such and such number don't have closets.
While I think it is kind of stinky that your buyer agent didn't educate you about marketing and legal bedrooms, you need to look at your appraisal closely. You will see that the appraiser added value for the rooms because they do have value to the typical buyer.
Oh, and your contractor isn't helpful. Many MLS's put the finished square footage in there. Even though it might not be a legal bedroom, it sounds like it is finished square footage. That has value and would be included in most MLS's under the square footage number.
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