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I'm remodeling a basement and trying to determine if a particular layout would violate code. I am in a 2015 IBC/IRC jurestiction.

This blog indicates that the bedroom must be

At least 7’ in any horizontal direction

And similar statements are made on other sites. But what does that mean?

  • Does this mean that a 7x7 foot square must be able to fit in the room?

  • A 7 foot diameter circle must fit?

  • Some other interpretation?

Sketch of room if it helps. Apolgies for the quality and lack of scale. The diagonal dashed line measures 8.6 ish feet, so from point A you could swing a 7 ft rod 90 deg without hitting the wall.

enter image description here

PS this is a permitted project and the bedroom is planned to be compliant in all other ways already. I would ask my county, but called too late to catch the plan reviwer before they all left for Christmas.

OrangePeel52
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  • A queen size bed mattress is 60 x 80 inches, bedframe somewhat larger. How will you fit one in there and have room to swing a cat? – Harper - Reinstate Monica Dec 23 '17 at 14:20
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    @harper this is a nursery for an infant. Their mattress is only 28x52. – OrangePeel52 Dec 23 '17 at 14:45
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    From the discussion below, you can tell that I don’t think your room you’ve drawn complies as a bedroom. So......I’m reluctant to tell you how to get around this Code requirement. However, if you must...call it something else than a bedroom, like a “nursery” or “day room”. – Lee Sam Dec 24 '17 at 01:55
  • As @LeeSam suggests, does it really matter whether you call it a bedroom? Make sure you’ve complied with the egress requirements so you’ll be safe, and call it “storage”. That would not be a habitable living space and therefore not subject to the dimensional requirements. – Mark Dec 25 '17 at 03:57
  • In my area, I believe it also has to have a closet to be called a bedroom. Or at least room for a large armoire. – Ed on PCR Dec 26 '17 at 20:11

2 Answers2

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Whether you can make your space work or not, remember code requirements for a second exit besides the door- like an egress window, to get out in case of fire, etc. The Minimum escape area is 5'7" sq. ft.; with the min. opening height is 24" high, and the width is 20". Also the sill has to be a maximum of 44" off the floor. As far as the weird shape of the room, maybe you can go for a variance.

mike g
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Actually, the 2017 ICC Section 304.1 says, “Habitable rooms shall have a minimum of 70 square feet.” AND Section 304.2 says, “Habitable rooms shall be not less than 7 feet in any horizontal direction.”

Therefore, your drawing does not comply. While it meets the 70 square feet requirement, it does not meet the minimum of 7’ in any direction.

Also, a 7’ circle does not satisfy this requirement. It is only 7’ in any direction unless you only stand in the exact center of the circle, much less satisfy the 70 square feet requirement.

Lee Sam
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  • Oh, the minimum ceiling height is 7’, unless it has a sloping ceiling. Then it gets complicated. (Section 305.1) – Lee Sam Dec 23 '17 at 08:38
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    304.2 is at least ambigous, but mostly plain stupidly written down (mathematician speaking). It does not consider non-rectangular rooms. As _I_ read it, the room in question is 12'8 in one direction and 8'7 in the other with area 94 sq ft (what a clever unit system!), and therefore perfectly complying. Also, _in any direction_ there is 7' across at some place; you can place a 7' rod in any heading into the room. – yo' Dec 23 '17 at 13:45
  • Im trying to understand what 7feet in any horizontal direction means. If I stand in the corner labeled 'A' I could swing a 7 foot pole without hitting any walls for example. – OrangePeel52 Dec 23 '17 at 14:49
  • @yo' No, the room is not 7’ in ANY direction. It is NOT 7’ along the dashed line in the drawing. The requirement does not read, “7’ in two perpendicular directions.” – Lee Sam Dec 23 '17 at 16:01
  • Sorry for being dumb, but I fail to see how `sqrt((6+7/12)^2+(5+7/12)^2) ~ 8.63 < 7`. – yo' Dec 23 '17 at 16:06
  • @Lee Sam: The requirement also does not say "7 feet in any direction from every point in the room", which would be impossible. It GENERALLY means 7 feet long and 7 feet wide, which are (in fact) two perpendicular directions. – Upnorth Dec 23 '17 at 18:53
  • @Upnorth No, it doesn’t say “from two perpendicular directions.” Yes, it does say “7’ in ANY horizontal direction.” If you have a 7’ stock, it should be able to swing horizontally. It doesn’t say “while holding on the END of the stick.” The stick cannot swing along the dashed line in the drawing it will hit the wall, no matter where you hold the stick. – Lee Sam Dec 23 '17 at 20:48
  • @yo' No problem...you’re missing the ANY direction concept. It doesn’t matter if it’s rectangular or not. In fact, the non-rectangular space described above is what’s causing it to be non-compliant. – Lee Sam Dec 23 '17 at 22:00
  • Sorry, you say that my point of view is wrong, but you (or the code, I have no intention to blame you personally) fa to say how to decide whether a room is complaint or not. The room in question can fit 360 rod for each orientation in angular degrees, and even in any of te infinitely many orientatons in between. And this is so far the only interpretation of the code that has been given here. So sorry, but unless a mathematically rigorous definion of "7 ft in any direction" is given, I'm not buying this (and I seem not to be the only one). – yo' Dec 23 '17 at 22:02
  • @Lee Sam. Okay, so you're suggesting that it means that every wall must be at least 7 feet long. Good to know. – Upnorth Dec 23 '17 at 22:07
  • The room actually contains a disc 7 feet in diameter. So placing the center of a 7ft rod into a well chosen point (3.5ft from A along both axes) I can let it swing freely. Something is really confusing here. – yo' Dec 23 '17 at 22:29
  • @yo' True...you’re the only one. Does that tell you anything? – Lee Sam Dec 24 '17 at 01:01
  • @yo' Hmmm...the Code doesn’t say, if you can find a spot that is 7’ in any direction,”. ALL points in a room has to be 7’...or it doesn’t comply. – Lee Sam Dec 24 '17 at 01:44
  • @Upnorth Hmmm...no, the wall length doesn’t HAVE TO BE 7’, But the space in the room needs to be 70 square feet AND it needs to be 7’ in every direction. – Lee Sam Dec 24 '17 at 01:49
  • @LeeSam I am aware of what code says and was hoping someone would provide evidence to support a particular interpretation. If you provide evidence I will upvote and select you answer. Without evidence this is just another opinion on the internet. – OrangePeel52 Dec 25 '17 at 01:40
  • Evidence?!?! I just have an opinion like everyone else. Only your local Building Official will have the final interpretation. For “evidence “ you may want to contact your State Building Department to see if they have an “interpretation “. Little known, but Yep, every State has their own “interpretations” from past inquires. (If no past inquire, then no interpretation. Here, it use to be the PPPI Manual.) BTW, I re-examined your drawing and I see the diagonal is labeled >8’ , not 58”. My mistake. So, I decided to draw your room to scale to see if a 7’ diameter circle – Lee Sam Dec 25 '17 at 03:42
  • To see if a 7’ diameter circle will fit. It does. So, gulp...my mistake. Your room complies as a bedroom: it’s 70 square feet and is 7’ in any direction. – Lee Sam Dec 25 '17 at 03:46
  • it is not possible to have a room where you have 7 feet at every point in every direction. Stand in a corner and lay your rod at 45 degrees... – agentp Dec 25 '17 at 15:49
  • @agentp Yes, I was thinking that at first too. Actually, the Code doesn’t say “AT EVERY POINT”. – Lee Sam Dec 25 '17 at 16:21
  • the rule is simply ill posed. Clearly not "at every point", but at "some point" doesn't seem right either, although another interpretation may be that you are ok by the 7 foot rule, but you cant count the "narrow" entry area in the square footage. – agentp Dec 25 '17 at 18:52
  • @agentp I think the “narrow entry area” can count towards the square footage requirement, but there still needs to be a “7’ area” that complies. Also, after reexamining the Code requirement, I think a 7’ diameter in the room satisfies this requirement. – Lee Sam Dec 25 '17 at 19:50
  • @leesam if you think a 7ft diameter circle fitting into a room is sufficient to meet code please post an answer saying that. I will be calling my county and will post if they agree. – OrangePeel52 Jan 04 '18 at 00:20
  • @OrangePeel52 Remember, the Code says, “7’ in any direction,” NOT “7’ from any point.” 7’ from any point in a room would be impossible, as someone else has pointed out. – Lee Sam Jan 04 '18 at 00:31