Bedroom or boxroom?

[David]

Hi Does anybody know what constitutes the minimum dimensions to define a bedroom as such? I'm really talking about estate agent parlance - they can't get away with describing something as a bedroom when it's really a cupboard.

Are the rules different for new builds as compared to existing properties? Reason I'm asking is that I'm thinking of creating a third bedroom in a property I'm buying by putting up a stud partition and although personally I'm happy that the room will be big enough, I don't want to get it wrong, especially when it comes to resale.

Thanks David

[Grunff]

I don't know if there are any rules, but I'd guess that any room which can fit a single bed (maybe even a narrow one, 2'6") with enough room to walk down one side could be counted a bedroom.

That makes a min size of ~6'6" x 3'6", or about 2mx1m.

But that would be taking the piss a bit.

[Bob Eager]

Anyone see that story last week about some builder (Red...something?) that had built a row of about 9 'town houses'. The stairs had a sharp bend and it was impossible to get most furniture above the ground floor (which was kitchen and dining room).

The builders said people could always use the upstairs living room as a dining room and vice versa. But no TV or telephone points downstairs anyway...

On being pressed, they said the homes were intended for 'modern young people who liked minimalism and modular furniture'. Or, in other words, flatpacks...

Old houses do have their advantages (but I draw the line at an earth floor, Mary!).

[Harvey Van Sickle]

Depends on the particular market, but yeah -- that'd be a serious piss- take, to me!

[We have 5 bedrooms, the smallest of which is 8' x 6'6" (2.4mx2.0m) -- if I hung the door so it swung outward I could fit a 4' double bed in there, easy.......an estate agent's "Double Bedroom?" ;)]

[Harvey Van Sickle]

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 20:22:09 GMT, Bob Eager wrote

Reminds me of a case a couple of years ago -- not sure where, but on some Wimpret/Barpey sort of development -- where the "garage" was just wide enough to fit a car in, but it was physically impossible to open the car doors far enough to get out.

The accompanying news photo was of the owner crawling out through the sun-roof......(who had the gall to complain about this....honestly: some people).

The builder defended the sizing by saying that "these garages were intended for use as storage space rather than for cars"

[Mark S.]

Last weeks Property Ladder one of the estate agents who was looking round took a measurement and said "just a bedroom" so I'd guess it was to fit a single bed in it at a minimum?

Mark S.

[Harvey Van Sickle]

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 20:46:29 GMT, Mark S. wrote

Probably, for marketing; not sure.

For real life, a bed, side table and small wardrobe/bookcase affair would be a minimum. (For me, anyway.)

[dg]

The housing act lays down some standards - ie the minimum bedroom size for a child under 10 is 50sq feet (4.65m2), and for an adult it is 70 sq feet (6.51m2), but this is just for LA housing or rental accomodation.

This is based on the Parker-Morris review in the 60's, but the private sector did not tend to adopt the size guides.

There are few rules for descriptions, but a "bedroom" must be able to fit a bed in it (not any other furniture as well) for it to be classed as suitable for sleeping in.

For planning purposes, some LA's have adopted their own size standards for situations that require planning approval. Yours would not.

dg

[Gnube]

Probably forgot to say "Only" in front of the "Just a bedroom" ;O)

Take Care, Gnube {too thick for linux}

[The Natural Philosopher]

I remember when I were a student wer had this drummer and his groupie camping out in the cupboard under the stairs. Enough room for a double matress ...

[Lee Blaver]

Surely this sort of thing is a basic design rule? Either it was deliberate or someone screwed up royally and doesn't want to admit it ;-)

As an aside, a family down the road has just built an enclosed porch on the front of their house, complete with an offset door. No chance of getting an assembled wardrobe through that. No rear access to the property either. Clearly a lot of thought went into that idea... :-)

Lee

[David]

Thanks for all the bedroom replies folks - sounds like my plan will be fine then.

When we were round at my parents the other day, conversation got round to what would happen to my Dad's most prize possession, a baby grand piano, once he'd shuffled off this mortal coil (he's a fit and healthy late 70s). We were musing about how they'd ever got the thing into the house in the first place (about 50 years ago) when we realised that this had been prior to some extensive alterations my parents had done to the house back in the 60s. So quite simply, the piano now won't move out of their sitting room without either calling in Gnube to give us the benefit of his newfound experience in piano dismantling, or by removing a wall.

A good laugh was had by all (while I was mentally fast-forwarding a few years into the future when I'll have the joy of having to sort it out...)

David

[Owain]

"David" wrote | When we were round at my parents the other day, conversation got round | to what would happen to my Dad's most prize possession, a baby grand | piano, ... So quite simply, the piano now | won't move out of their sitting room without either calling in Gnube | to give us the benefit of his newfound experience in piano | dismantling,

Mmmm, big flat lid and all that panelling round the sides, and the legs. That should build into a bit more than a plantpot stand.

| A good laugh was had by all (while I was mentally fast-forwarding a | few years into the future when I'll have the joy of having to sort it | out...)

Sell the house with it in. If one can do it with tortoises one can do it with pianos.

[S Viemeister]

Many years ago, I rented a flat which was unfurnished - except for a piano.

[Gnube]

Oh yes it will! ;O)

Over 50% through now! ;O) Just can't find "the next set" of screws - you should see some of them too. Truly amazing and somewhat of an education has been had very cheaply indeed. Rather a lot of fun has been had into the bargain!

I got one set of screws which are plainly seized (5 along top of upper cast frame {turns out there were two of the beggars in there! [stereo?]}) Nothing will shift em, so the heads get ground off in the morning!

BTW, strings are ok to cut with metal cutting blade on the grinder! Just take it easy otherwise it may unstring a bit quicker than planned! (don't stand in line of fire though - them ends are damn sharp little blighters once you cut them this way, DAMHIKT! ;O)

Take Care, Gnube {too thick for linux}

[Owain]

"S Viemeister" wrote | Many years ago, I rented a flat which was unfurnished - except | for a piano.

Hmmm. I wonder who hated whom the most: the landlord the neighbours, or the neighbours the landlord. It sounds the adult equivalent of giving the children of those one dislikes toy drums to play with.

Owain

[Fishter]

IME, a boxroom is a room with no windows. I've seen several rooms of this kind described as bedrooms and actually rented out as such in student type accommodation! Surprisingly there's not much of a discount for having no window!

[S Viemeister]

It was an old building in the West End of Edinburgh - very thick walls, high ceilings, and at the time, only partly residential. The only person near enough to be bothered by the sound, enjoyed it so much, that when I had piano-playing guests she left her door open so she could hear better. Most of my friends were musicians.

Sheila

[Martin Angove]

Just to hark back a few months, I asked for people on this ng to measure their smallest bedrooms, added some from housebuilder brochures, and posted a league table (thread: "Smallest (bed)rooms", July 2003)... here are the bottom five:

max min age sqm Richard Caley 2.40 1.96 100 4.70 Martin Angove 2.35 2.00 70 4.70 Mary Fisher 2.35 2.00 70 4.70 Wimpey Hereford 2.39 1.91 0 4.56 markiremonger 2.10 1.90 110 3.99

(max/min are dimensions in m, age is approx age of property).

The Wimpey Hereford is a house currently being built by the company.

Hwyl!

M.