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How many bedrooms does your Clark County, WA home have?

By
Industry Observer with Nature As Neighbors

How many bedrooms does your Clark County, WA home have?

Legal BedroomsThe numbers of bedrooms in your home is important to know.  To be considered a bedroom in Washington state, building codes say a room must have egress, as in a door and window large enough for an escape, and a closet (this may be local, not state). It also has to have a working heat source.

The heat source must be a permanent fixture or vent. In other words, you cannot use a plug-in heating unit to meet this requirement.  Clark County, WA building officials say the room must be able to maintain a habitable temperature of 70-degrees three feet off of the floor.

What does this mean for vintage homes, built around 1900, which do not typically have a heat source on the second floor? Jan Bazala with the Clark County Permit department says, in general,  if the room has egress compliance, a closet and gets heat in some fashion, the county would consider it a bedroom.

However, if any of the bedrooms have been added or altered, without the required building permits, they may not be recognized as "legal." Naturally, the addition of bedrooms, if a vintage home is on a septic system, would also require health department approval.

The number of bedrooms in your Clark County, WA home can add value.

Legal BedroomsObviously, since bedrooms add value to a home, it's important to know what constitutes a legal bedroom. Hiring a Realtor® who is well versed in local building codes can be critical when buying and selling a home. What you don't know, can hurt you.

Keep in mind that while local building inspectors may qualify a bedroom as legal for tax purposes, a lender may have different requirements. For example, Fannie Mae does not count below grade rooms as legal bedrooms.

Bedrooms must also have a working smoke detector, wired electronically, and as of this year, according to State Building Code,  a CO ( Carbon Monoxide) alarm must also be installed outside of each separate sleeping area, in the immediate vicinity of the room.
 
If you have any questions as to the number of legal bedrooms in your home, or a home you are considering for purchase, make sure you understand local codes. Or, even better, make sure you hire a competent and knowledgeable Realtor® who can tell you exactly how many bedrooms are in a Clark County, WA home.

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Legal Bedrooms

Posted by


Debb Janes  Bernie Stea
Brokers/REALTORS®
Call or Text 360-608-4900

We help buyers and sellers in Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie/Hockinson, Salmon Creek, Felida, and other Vancouver, Washington Areas. 


We bring our passion for nature and beautiful environments to Real Estate. Multigenerational and family estates, country land and homes, and small farmsteads are our speciality.


We agree with our clients, "The true luxury of rural living is having elbowroom for the soul.

 

Comments (13)

Adrian Willanger
206 909-7536 AdrianWillanger-broker.com - Seattle, WA
Profit from my two decades of experience

Hi Debb, you raise a great question. In Seattle we have many homes with basement bedrooms that don't meet the requirements, and its sometimes a difficult explaining this to a seller. 

 

Have a good Sunday!

 

Adrian

Jun 24, 2012 02:53 AM
Melinda (Mel) Peterson
Grants Pass, OR - Bend, OR
The Savvy Broker - ABR, CRS

A most excellent and informative post Debb!  The same parameters apply in our County as well, however, it's surprising to note how many Realtors are unfamiliar with the code requirements.  As a side note... I kinda dig the outdoor bedroom theme in your pics... reminds me of a much needed tropical vacation... in my not-to-distant future ;)))  Suggested my friend!

Jun 24, 2012 03:04 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Hi Debb, very nice post and one minor clarification.  The building codes do not discuss closets in bedrooms as far as I know.  Appraisers like them though :)

Jun 24, 2012 03:42 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Debb,

I love the image on the beach of the bedroom...What interesting information  you are giving us on the subject that is particular to your marketplace.  Great post, and I am also suggesting. A

Jun 24, 2012 03:44 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Hey Adrian, good to see you and thanks. I sure  like that Green neighborhood you're promoting on your post today.

Mel - Belle, Thanks my friend. It is amazing how little most Realtors know about the building codes.

Charles, glad you chimed in on this. Perhaps, not in the State codes, although, I did research that a bit and thought it clarified that...but our local County Codes do require a closet...and yes, appraisers and lenders do really like a closet. ( I guess it's where they store all  that bureaucratic paperwork. ) ;)

Jun 24, 2012 03:51 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Alexandra, I loved the outdoor bedrooms too...wouldn't those be fun spots to take a nap. Thanks for the suggest, I sure do appreciate it. D

Jun 24, 2012 03:52 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Debb,

Excellent point about what it takes to be qualified to be a bedroom  in your area. Buyers or sellers need someone like you to instruct and lead them through the entire home buying/selling process.  I think our rules are pretty similar but we don't have all the permits and inspections like you do. We are not required to have a CO detector outside each bedroom.

Jun 24, 2012 08:57 AM
Anita Clark
Coldwell Banker Access Realty ~ 478.960.8055 - Warner Robins, GA
Realtor - Homes for Sale in Warner Robins GA

Loved this post Debb...very informative for your local readers!  The rules are similar here.

Jun 24, 2012 09:42 AM
Don Sabinske
Don Sabinske, Sabinske & Associates Inc. - Zimmerman, MN
Sabinske & Associates Inc.

Our requirements are similar. and, yet, agents figure that if there is a heater of any kind, and somewhere on the wall to hang garments, they can call it a bedroom.  Yes, even experienced agents. sadly.

Jun 24, 2012 12:02 PM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Suggested! Love the photos and the explanation too! You are such a creative person and this one shows another side of your creativity and I'm digging it!

Education is fun when you make people think, and you have done just that!

Jun 24, 2012 06:48 PM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Debb, this is one of the first items a buyer discloses, as they always want enough for the family, and sometimes extra rooms for guests!     Hiring a kinowledgeable REALTOR® is important -- and you are the one buyers should call!

 

Jun 25, 2012 12:46 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Hi Bob, The CO law is new this year. First it was for new construction - and went into effect this Spring for resale. April - 2012 to be exact. 

Thanks Anita - yep I think it's a pretty standard definition.

I know Don. It's important to know these things for true valuation purposes - and of course for no Lender/loan surprises. Appraisers are pretty picky, expecially Fannie Mae loans.

Jun 25, 2012 01:35 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Thank you Patrica. What a nice compliment coming from you. Ms. Creativity. :)

Hi Joan, true. true. Yet many people don't really know what constitutes a legal bedroom.

Jun 25, 2012 01:37 AM