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Here is the link showing that no, closets are not required in Howard County or Baltimore county.
https://share.google/aimode/G9EAmS6I9pTuX4xkd
https://share.google/aimode/G9EAmS6I9pTuX4xkd
Anonymous wrote:I did. A closet is definitely a requirement in some places. Howard County requires a closet, Baltimore City requires a closet although not in every room.Anonymous wrote:IleanaSchinder wrote:Anonymous wrote:This comes up when you sell your house and want to list a room as a bedroom. For example, we just sold a house. We had a large room in the basement with a big walk-in closet and a really nice bathroom adjacent. It did not have egress, and our real estate agent wanted us to change the window so that it did, so that she could market the house as a four bedroom house instead of a three bedroom. We didn’t bother to do it, and the house sold right away above list anyway. But that’s why you would concern yourself with egress. Or, if you are actually going to use a room as a bedroom, you don’t want to be caught sleeping in a fire in a room without a way out.
Let me clarify, closets are NOT a bedroom requirement. Somehow, this is an urban myth.
To be considered a bedroom, you need all of the following (no more, no less)
-70 Square feet, 7'-0" minimum on one side.
-Outlets and lighting
-Fixed heating equiment. I.e.: electric baseboard (cooling is not a requirement)
-Egress window and/or door
-Window for air and light
-Smoke detector (hard wired or battery, depending on the jurisdiction)
-Not be a pass-thru room to egress from/to other spaces
I hope this helps,
ileana schinder
Nobody said it was, "ileana."
Funny, no. Here is the quote how closets are NOT required in Howard County and Baltimore. Simply because they are not a code requirement under IBC/IRC. Here is the long explanation:
Based on Maryland residential building codes and typical local requirements, bedrooms do not strictly require a built-in closet to be considered a legal bedroom, although they are highly expected for resale. While some sources suggest local interpretations in Maryland may vary, the core requirements are a minimum of 70 sq ft, a window for egress, a door, a heat source, and at least 7-foot ceilings.
Key points regarding closets:
No Mandatory Closet Law: The International Residential Code (IRC), followed by most jurisdictions, does not list a closet as a requirement for a bedroom.
Howard County/Baltimore Specifics: In certain areas, some inspectors or lenders may look for a closet, but it is rarely a strict legal requirement in residential building codes. Baltimore City code requires that a dwelling unit (not necessarily every room) has at least one closet for storage, though this does not apply to all single-family homes.
Alternative Solutions: If a room lacks a closet, a wardrobe or armoire is often sufficient to satisfy lender or buyer expectations.
Nobody said it was, "ileana."
I did. A closet is definitely a requirement in some places. Howard County requires a closet, Baltimore City requires a closet although not in every room.Based on Maryland residential building codes and typical local requirements, bedrooms do not strictly require a built-in closet to be considered a legal bedroom, although they are highly expected for resale. While some sources suggest local interpretations in Maryland may vary, the core requirements are a minimum of 70 sq ft, a window for egress, a door, a heat source, and at least 7-foot ceilings.
Key points regarding closets:
No Mandatory Closet Law: The International Residential Code (IRC), followed by most jurisdictions, does not list a closet as a requirement for a bedroom.
Howard County/Baltimore Specifics: In certain areas, some inspectors or lenders may look for a closet, but it is rarely a strict legal requirement in residential building codes. Baltimore City code requires that a dwelling unit (not necessarily every room) has at least one closet for storage, though this does not apply to all single-family homes.
Alternative Solutions: If a room lacks a closet, a wardrobe or armoire is often sufficient to satisfy lender or buyer expectations.
Nobody said it was, "ileana."
So, if the work was done before you bought the house, the work done is considered "existing to remain".
If the public records of the house are significantly different from those of the reality (i.e. number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, setback, etc) you may want to file an amendment to correct the records.
I hope this helps!
ileana
If the public records of the house are significantly different from those of the reality (i.e. number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, setback, etc) you may want to file an amendment to correct the records.
I hope this helps!
ileana
You can "refinish" a space by changing floor coverings, putting "dry" casework (no sink), moving the laundry, putting up partial walls, refinishing an existing bathroom, etc.
Not all renovations require a permit only if they affect the structure and infrastructure.
If your basement bathroom already exists and you are applying new finishes (tile, plumbing fixtures, etc) you don't need a permit. If you are MOVING or ADDING a bathroom, you do need a permit.
I hope this helps!
ileana
Not all renovations require a permit only if they affect the structure and infrastructure.
If your basement bathroom already exists and you are applying new finishes (tile, plumbing fixtures, etc) you don't need a permit. If you are MOVING or ADDING a bathroom, you do need a permit.
I hope this helps!
ileana
Suggestion: if you are NOT changing any infrastructure (i.e.: plumbing, electrical, mechanical, structural, etc. You are not required to pull a permit.
Any changes to the USE of a building or the infrastructure that SUPPORTS the building, you need a permit.
For example, if you are making cosmetic changes to a bathroom, you don't need a permit. However, if you are adding or removing a sink, you do. Feel free to reach out if I can clarify.
Any changes to the USE of a building or the infrastructure that SUPPORTS the building, you need a permit.
For example, if you are making cosmetic changes to a bathroom, you don't need a permit. However, if you are adding or removing a sink, you do. Feel free to reach out if I can clarify.
Anonymous wrote:This comes up when you sell your house and want to list a room as a bedroom. For example, we just sold a house. We had a large room in the basement with a big walk-in closet and a really nice bathroom adjacent. It did not have egress, and our real estate agent wanted us to change the window so that it did, so that she could market the house as a four bedroom house instead of a three bedroom. We didn’t bother to do it, and the house sold right away above list anyway. But that’s why you would concern yourself with egress. Or, if you are actually going to use a room as a bedroom, you don’t want to be caught sleeping in a fire in a room without a way out.
Let me clarify, closets are NOT a bedroom requirement. Somehow, this is an urban myth.
To be considered a bedroom, you need all of the following (no more, no less)
-70 Square feet, 7'-0" minimum on one side.
-Outlets and lighting
-Fixed heating equiment. I.e.: electric baseboard (cooling is not a requirement)
-Egress window and/or door
-Window for air and light
-Smoke detector (hard wired or battery, depending on the jurisdiction)
-Not be a pass-thru room to egress from/to other spaces
I hope this helps,
ileana schinder
Hi OP,
you don't need an egress window in non-living spaces. If you don't label your basement (bedroom, family room, living room, etc). there is no requirement in the building code for egress windows for non-sleeping rooms.
Feel free to reach out (or to any architect) to make sure you are labelling each room correctly.
Good luck!
ile
you don't need an egress window in non-living spaces. If you don't label your basement (bedroom, family room, living room, etc). there is no requirement in the building code for egress windows for non-sleeping rooms.
Feel free to reach out (or to any architect) to make sure you are labelling each room correctly.
Good luck!
ile
Hi,
I'm a fan of Valentin Iordache... call him up!
your architect should be able to recommend one.
ileana
I'm a fan of Valentin Iordache... call him up!
your architect should be able to recommend one.
ileana
Hi,
Architect here. You don't "need" an egress window but you may want to include it in the scope of the project.
It's a small investment that will pay off because your house will have one MORE bedroom if you decided to change its use in the future.
Also, if you have a door, that may comply with the egress requirement while keeping a smaller non-egress-compliant window.
Good luck with the project!
ileana schinder
Architect here. You don't "need" an egress window but you may want to include it in the scope of the project.
It's a small investment that will pay off because your house will have one MORE bedroom if you decided to change its use in the future.
Also, if you have a door, that may comply with the egress requirement while keeping a smaller non-egress-compliant window.
Good luck with the project!
ileana schinder