What Is The Standard Basement Bedroom Size? Basements are often the perfect place to create a bedroom. Whether you’re looking for an extra bedroom or just need more space, converting your basement into a bedroom is the way to go!
Although most basements measure about 20 feet by 25 feet, there’s no limit on how big of a room you can make. The standard size for a one-bedroom is about 10×12 and can be expanded up to 16×20 if needed.
There are many different ways that people have converted their basement into bedrooms so it’s best to do some research beforehand and find what works best for you.
In addition, it’s important that safety measures are taken before getting started with any project in the basement because they’re not as stable as other parts of your home
Do you know the standard basement bedroom size?
A house needs to be at least 70 square feet and 7 feet high. It also needs to have proper heating and ventilation.
A Standard USA basement bedroom size is 10 feet by 12 feet. This site is a requirement in most cities, towns, and counties when building a new home or adding a basement bedroom.
The standard size of a finished bedroom in the United States varies from state to state. A Bedroom’s purpose may vary between your personal needs and wants as well as what your community enforces.
In general, though, there are specific industry guidelines for basic measurements which you can refer to if you’re planning on building or converting an existing space into a bedroom.
In some places bedrooms must be at least 80 square feet while other localities do not specify a minimum size at all.
The basic requirements below come from the International Residential Code (IRC), which is a model code used in most states for bedroom minimum sizes.
The IRC allows the following basement bedroom dimensions:
– Minimum room width of 7 feet, measured between points on opposite sides of the doorway (with some exceptions)
– Minimum room height of 6 feet 8 inches, measured from the floor to the ceiling joists or if there are no ceiling joists then from the top of the finished floor to the lowest point in under beams, and not more than 6 feet 6 inches if any part is within 2 feet (610 mm) of one sidewall.
Under this condition, at least 50 percent of the required headroom must be over open areas serving as usable space like your basement.
Basement bedrooms may have sloped ceilings if the height in the center is not less than 6 feet 8 inches and if at least 50 percent of the required floor area has a ceiling height of 7 feet or more.
What Is The Standard Basement Bedroom Size? (cre: inman)
Adding a bedroom to a basement
Adding a bedroom to a basement is a favorite technique among those with limited space. You can gain a sizable bedroom that is still below the main floor of the house and it’s easy to finish because you’re working with an existing structure.
The first step in finishing your basement is to determine which type of contractor you will hire: a general contractor or a specialist.
Read on for more information about each option, as well as tips on how to choose between them. If you decide to hire a general contractor, see How To Find A General Contractor.
A general contractor will manage all phases of your project and will coordinate subcontractors such as drywallers, masons, electricians, plumbers, and bricklayers if necessary.
A specialist works only within his or her specialty. For example, if you want to add a bedroom, you would hire an electrician and mason but not a plumber or drywaller because these trades are not needed for the project.
Each type of contractor offers advantages and disadvantages:
A general contractor may be better able to provide a seamless transition from one trade to another while a specialist can offer greater depth in his area of expertise.
However, hiring a specialist may require more coordination on your part as he won’t have access to all subs.
It’s up to you to decide which type of subcontractor you’ll work with based on your construction skills and knowledge level, available time, budget, and personal preference.
Do basement bedrooms have to have a window?
No one should have to sleep in a windowless room, but basements often lack windows for functional or architectural reasons, so it’s surprising how many homeowners are reluctant to give up that potential living space.
But before you start moving the furniture into your new rec room, make sure that all local building codes allow this type of use. “You can’t just take any old basement and convert it into living space,” says Mike Shandrow, director of technical services at Builders Unlimited Inc., a Minneapolis-area company specializing in energy-efficient homes.
While some cities may allow simple basement bedrooms, others require full egress (exiting through a door) if there is no natural light source. If the bedroom has an egress window, the opening must meet specific requirements outlined in the International Residential Code (IRC).
The IRC is a model code, which means that individual municipalities can amend it before adopting it as a law.
That’s why codes vary from town to town; if your house is located in a historic district or near an airport or body of water, you may need special permission for basement bedrooms and windows.
Most basements were designed without living space in mind, so there’s no telling what obstacles you might face until you start poking around the plumbing pipes and electrical wiring. For example, “you could end up with some unsightly beams running right through your bedroom,” Shandrow says. You may also find that structural support columns impede access to natural light sources.
All in all, it’s a good idea to have your house inspected by an architect or professional engineer before you try to turn that basement into a bedroom.
In addition, any bedroom in the basement must comply with local requirements for egress windows and fire protection systems.
In most cities, this means at least one window that can be opened from the inside without locks. The window opening must be big enough — 8 square feet — and high enough — 24 inches above the floor — to allow escape in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation.
Exemptions: You may not need to include an egress window if there is already a means of escape (a door) within 20 feet; it has no less than 5-foot-8 headroom, and the basement does not contain a furnace room or space used for storage. A second exemption applies if there is no existing stairway leading to the grade.
In this case, you may substitute a “designated area of rescue assistance” — a windowless enclosure with at least one exterior door that can be opened from the inside without locks.
For example, if your basement stairs lead to an outside deck, the designated area would have to include a closet adjacent to the deck stairs where you could stash a ladder or rope ladder in case of emergency.
What Is The Standard Basement Bedroom Size? (cre: homestratosphere)
Egress window requirements for basements that contain living space vary from region to region.
“In Minnesota, we have a pretty strict code,” says Shandrow. In many parts of the country, egress windows in basement bedrooms can be as small as 4 square feet and 18 inches high. Builders also need to engineer the floor layout so the bedroom is not over a crawl space or furnace room where toxic fumes could accumulate in an emergency.
If you want to build a totally new house in a historically protected area, it’s best to hire a professional architect who can help you navigate all these changes without causing major delays or costly modifications.
In any case, keep this advice from Emanuel Tanguay of Home Safety Consultants in California in mind: “The biggest mistake people make when converting basements is not including an alternate means of egress.
If you can’t get out of your bedroom in the event of a fire, you’ll end up trapped.”
Tanguay also notes that basement bedrooms are not always ideal for small children; kids under 6 years old should never sleep in recreation rooms or unfinished basements without windows. A lot can go wrong if they get wedged between the mattress and the wall or discover something that could be used to suffocate them (such as empty packaging).
Also, note that special safety precautions may be required by law; some states prohibit window coverings on basement windows unless they can be opened at least 4 inches, for example.
That said, basements can be great places to give kids a place of their own.
If you’re lucky enough to have an under-used rec room in your basement, you might want to convert that into a bedroom for older children or teenagers. Or, better yet, use that space for two bedrooms — one up top and one down below.
If you’re intent on making part of the basement livable, plan ahead to avoid problems later on. For example, if there are no windows in the hallway leading from the stairs to the main living area, it’s best to build new bathrooms above ground instead of struggling with windowless wet rooms below grade.
Cost for a basement bedroom
The cost for a basement bedroom is about $17,500 to $33,000 including excavation and construction.
This figure includes materials, cost of basement finishing contractor for excavation and/or basement finishing services, finishing material for the basement, etc.
The estimated price range calculation is figured out by keeping in mind that the finished Basement bedroom would be equal to a regular room of half the size of the Basement area. For example, if your total Basement area is 800sqft then you can expect an average finished space of 400 sqft which will include all amenities like windows, flooring, ceiling, etc just like any other bedroom.
Basements bedrooms are generally finished with carpets and drywall with windows. The final price depends on what type of finish you choose.
In the Southern states finishes with stone and brick facades are most popular as they provide a rustic look to your basement bedroom, waterproofing with rubber base paint is also very common in this region for the finishing Basement.
In Northeast wood paneling is often used for finishing basements which give a less costly look that suits the tastes of people living there.
What Is The Standard Basement Bedroom Size?
Generally, Contractors would consider these things
1>Surface Drainage System is a must if your house perch is lower than road level. This drainage system will keep your room dry at all times even when it rains heavily outside. (a small capacity pump can be added as an option)
This drain system will sure that no water enters from the floor in a room.
2>A proper ventilation system will ensure fresh air flows from the outside to your Basement bedroom throughout the year.
3>In case you want to make it a fully waterproof finish, Contractors would suggest rubber paint on the walls and flooring which acts as a final layer of finishing.
4>Basements are also finished with carpets or sheds depending on what material you choose.(carpet is popular in South while sheds for North)
Estimated Cost For Finishing A basement Bedroom In Different Regions Region Price range United States $17,500-$33,000 Southern States(like Florida) $18,000 -$ 40,000 California(sunshine state) $17,000-$30,000 New England(East coast) $25,000-$34,900 North East(cold region) $27,000 -$29,700
These finishes can be termed as the best finish for a basement bedroom as it is economical and give a beautiful look to your Basement bedroom.
Inspections are required during the final stages of finishing as per building code regulations for basements. It might cost you about 300 bucks or more depending on the area but it’s better to pay now than complaint later on.
Before you paint the walls test it properly so that there are no marks left after taking down the wallpaper.(wallpapers are often preferred in some areas due to high humidity levels)
Make sure that the Plumber and Electrician have properly installed their stuff before you get it Basement finished.
Basement Bedroom Finishing Ideas:
– You can always go for a theme-based finish in your Basement like these cowboy-themed basement bedrooms, Indian-style basement bedrooms, etc.
But if you want something common and standard then never forget the importance of the ventilation and drainage system so choose a perfect contractor to do this job.
If your soil is high in lime content, consider applying an alkaline primer under the paint on exterior walls to prevent efflorescence (white powder), which looks bad but doesn’t affect the integrity of the wall or cause any health problems.
Conclusion
After reading this blog post, you will know the standard size for a basement bedroom. It is advised to have at least 60 square feet in total area when designing your basement room.
The dimensions of the room should be 10’x10′ with an 8-foot ceiling height minimums and 12-foot ceilings maximums.
If you are still unsure about what measurements work best or if there are any other factors that need to be taken into account, it would not hurt to consult a professional design service provider before investing time and money into building out the space as they may offer additional insight on how much space should really go where based on their experience working with many different types of clients from various backgrounds and preferences over the years.
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