IT NEEDS TO HAVE A CLOSET IN THE ROOM. pHYLLIS

Ilan,

The local building department should be consulted because different municipalities adopt and ammend various parts of the national code.

You can't simply say the room needs a window. Glass block is a type of window but it is hardly acceptable for a second means of egress.

A window sill should be no higher than 44 inches above the finished floor. The window opening should be a minimum of 20 inches wide by 24 inches high and have a minimum clear opening (if the panes are removed) of 5.7 sq.ft. If the window is at direct grade the opening can be reduced to 5.0 sq.ft. Any security bars must have a quick release on the inside.

There can be no gas appliances (furnace, water heater, dryer, etc.) that takes all of its combustion air from the bedroom. The appliances must be in a closet that has a door that is sealed on all sides (similar to an exterior door) and is large enough to remove the appliances if necessary. The combustion air must be from an appropriately sized adjacent room (consult an HVAC professional for calculation) and a minimum of two vents, one high and one low, placed through the wall to the adjacent room. Direct vent appliances that take combustion air from the exterior are acceptable. In this instance I recommend a CO, natural gas and smoke alarm be installed inside the bedroom.

I just inspected a home like this yesterday, the buyer wasn't happy to see the 4th bedroom was listed as such and had the furnace and water heater in it and a big vent in the closet door.

It should also have a source of heat.

Hi Ilan,

The answer is a bit more complicated than the knowledgeable and lovely realtors seem to think. Hi Jenny!
The MLS definition of a bedroom may not satisfy the local code authority and should not be counted on as the final arbiter.
If you live in a loft, as Jenny stated, there are special exceptions to the City of Chicago Light and Ventilation Code that allow rooms w/o natural light and ventilation to be counted as bedrooms. There must be tall (at least 9') windows at the front wall of the loft space; there must be no intervening rooms (other than a kitchen that can be no more than 7' deep) between the front room of the loft and the loft bedroom; the bedroom walls must be partial height to allow natural light and ventilation into the room.

You can find more info at the website below. Good luck!

http://www.wmaengineers.com/taskforce.html

Dear Fellow Chicagoan,

I wanted to mention another "class" of bedrooms you'll find here in town that has not been addressed so far in the other comments. The loft conversion boom in the city involved the creation of condos in former warehouse buildings. Given the oversized footprint of the buildings, the units are often oriented in such a way that one or more bedrooms are interior rooms, i.e. they don't adjoin an outside wall or windows. Instead, the developers build a 3/4 high wall that provides privacy but satisfies the city's requirements for adequate light and ventilation. These bedrooms are legal, acknowledged by appraisers, and count as bedrooms in our Multiple Listing Service. I hope you find that information helpful.

Best of luck,

Jenny

Hi IIan-
While it is true that bedrooms in the basement have certain criteria. It does also depend on where you are. Since you are looking in Chicago, and there are many "Garden" apartments, which are 50% below grade, the last comment does not apply. And we must address this, because if you are purchasing an apartment building, then, you will need to know whether or not a garden apartment can be counted, as it will change the value of the building. Although the information is accurate.
Depending on the type of structure, if it's a single family home, then Eric's answer is correct. If it is a building with a Garden Apartment, than it does not.
In Northern Illinois, if it is a single family home, and there are bedrooms in the basement, with out an escape route. A separate entrance/exit. Than it is true that you cannot use them as bedrooms. A bedroom, consists of above grade windows, a closet, and a door.
Hope that helps!

Ilan,

Many people ask this question as it refers to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) rules as opposed to the "legality" of a bedroom. According to our MLS (MLS of Northern Illinois) for the purposes of listing a property the room must be heated and:

A BEDROOM:
• Basement bedrooms (50% below adjacent grade level) may NOT be counted in the total bedrooms count.
• A bedroom is defined as a private room capable of being closed off from other living space, which does not have its only entrance from another bedroom.
• This definition will meet appraiser standards for bedrooms and would exclude tandem rooms.
• A room without a closet is countable as a bedroom.

Many agents in our area incorrectly believe you have to have a window and a closet but according to our rules that is not the case.

I hope that is helpful!

Eric Marcus
ESM Realty
Your Real Friend in Chicago Real Estate
773-244-1110

Check with your building dept. You also need a heat source (vent).

you need a window and a closet

It depends on your local building codes. In RI you don't have to have a closet to be a bedroom but you do need an egress window/door. The room must also have a door.

#1 answer is correct but you also need to know what the requirements are in your area. Different States, Towns, Villages etc. have different standard as to what is a legal bedroom. A friend of mine has a 2 bedroom home and one is without a closet. Check with your building dept.

IIan

The room would have to have a outside window and a closet. That is what is used on the MLS to classify a bedroom. Hope this helps.

Lucy