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I was thinking of putting a bed in my basement...There is an exit to the side door up the stairs to the outside plus I have a basement door that leads to the garage and outside.

isherwood
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user123404
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    Does your jurisdiction use the Life Safety Code or the International Residential Code? Are you on city or well water for that matter, and if you're on city water, then what size is your incoming water service, and how far is it from the house to the street? – ThreePhaseEel Sep 17 '20 at 11:46
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    @ThreePhaseEel: I'm curious why you asked about the water supply. What difference does that make? I'm guessing something to do with fire-protection? – whatsisname Sep 17 '20 at 18:44
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    @whatsisname -- yes, good guess indeed -- water supply is one of the major factors in determining whether a fire sprinkler retrofit is feasible, which in turn changes the "means of escape" calculus greatly in jurisdictions that use the Life Safety Code. – ThreePhaseEel Sep 17 '20 at 23:08

2 Answers2

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Sleeping rooms shall have an egress window or a door that opens directly to the outside. (See ICC R302.6.) The door cannot be in a hallway or open into the house or garage.

Garages are to be separated from single family residences by 1/2” gypsum board on garage side ONLY, and the garage cannot open into a sleeping room. (See ICC Table R302.6.)

The door between the garage and house shall be a solid wood door a minimum of 1 3/8” thick and is NOT permitted into a sleeping room. (See ICC R302.5.1.1.)

Lee Sam
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  • Just a ridiculous answer. He asked if he can put a bed in a room in his basement. He didn't ask if he could get a room in his basement to be considered a bedroom by code. The answer to his question is yes. Your answer just confused people. – DMoore Sep 17 '20 at 17:37
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    Not ridiculous at all. Totally on-point. The implication by those not versed in the terminology of "bed in basement" is pretty clearly "bed to sleep in == bedroom in basement". Because obviously it isn't about "storing a mattress downstairs". – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 17 '20 at 17:52
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    @DMoore The answer is yes if 1) it has an egress window or door, 2) the egress window or door is not into a garage, 3) it has a smoke alarm. Your answer implies he’s ok as is. That is not true and could be life threatening. Also, you say a basement “must have a door that you can walk out of for a room to be considered a bedroom “. That is also not true. – Lee Sam Sep 17 '20 at 17:57
  • definition of "open into" ? it says "garage" not "garage door" – Jasen Sep 17 '20 at 22:07
  • @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact - funny a person who is moving2codidact can give advice when they can't even move to what their name says... but on your point Lee Sam in comments on my questions suggests if the OP just wanted a couch for people to sleep on in their basement then it would be OK. You guys sound like you are sharing the same brain haahhahaahahahahahaa. We got some interesting people here. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 03:45
  • @DMoore Well, Codidact doesn't (yet) have a DIY community, so I am still active here. And yes, we do have some interesting people here... – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 18 '20 at 03:56
  • @SteveSether - please read the hilarious comment by LeeSam on my answer. So after all of this "code" talk he then suggests that if the OP had people sleep on a couch, things are OK. But not a bed. My head spins. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 04:20
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    @SteveSether It seems you’re upset that Building Code Inspectors could inspect someone’s basement and declare it in non-conformance with the Building Code. I say I hope someone inspects these spaces. I would never want to put a child, guest, tenant, etc. in an unsafe environment. I guess I’m one of the “bastards” you refer to. Yes, if you sleep in a room (in a basement or otherwise) it needs to comply with the code. Please explain to me how you know more than the code and don’t need egress windows, smoke alarms, etc. just because it’s “just a bed in the basement “. – Lee Sam Sep 18 '20 at 18:39
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    @SteveSether Yes, I can think of 2 issues that require a change 1) smoke detectors at bedrooms, and 2) tempered glass at doors, etc. I think if you’re smarter than the experts, maybe you should help them rewrite the code and have them get all that silly stuff out of the code. I’m no expert, but I do try to follow all the laws, including Building Code requirements. – Lee Sam Sep 18 '20 at 21:56
  • Plus, OP's language implies "modification" - taking a basement room that was not designated as a bedroom and turning it into a bedroom. I am very much not in favor of "nanny-state laws" (bag taxes are the first example that comes to mind). But building codes, generally speaking, are based on real safety issues, learned the hard way. If you own a big building, I'm sure you'll decide you don't want always available outward opening exit doors (could lead to stealing, people sneaking in, etc.) - but guess what - they're the law because people die in fires without them. Codes do matter. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 21 '20 at 17:27
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Well first of all for safety reasons you seem covered. You have exits in two directions and possibly three if the regular windows can fit a human.

From a code aspect there is nothing that says you cannot put a bed in your basement. Now there are real estate listing rules that do not count a living space as a bedroom in a basement unless it meets certain criteria.

For most home listings there must be a door that you can walk out of in the basement for a room to be considered a bedroom in a basement. You seem to have that in the door to the garage. Also allowable is an egress window.

That being said you can put a bed where ever you want and there are no laws against that.

DMoore
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  • I always thought (but now I cannot find any code so I must be wrong) that a bedroom could not egress directly into a garage. – Matthew Sep 17 '20 at 05:47
  • @Matthew - you might want to reread the question and answer. – DMoore Sep 17 '20 at 05:54
  • Yep. I did. I was just commenting on bedrooms, not beds :) – Matthew Sep 17 '20 at 05:58
  • @Matthew Actually there are regulations against having a door open into a sleeping room from a garage. (See ICC R302.5.1.1) It’s not permitted. – Lee Sam Sep 17 '20 at 17:15
  • I downvoted this answer because there’s so many things wrong with this answer. – Lee Sam Sep 17 '20 at 17:31
  • @LeeSam - he said he has a basement door that leads to the garage. He did not say that he has a door in the room the bed will be in that leads to the garage. There are some reading comprehension issues here. Also my kids fall asleep in my living room on the couch all the time. Oh my god the living room has a door right next to the garage what am I going to do now!!!!! – DMoore Sep 17 '20 at 17:36
  • @Lee Sam I think constructive feedback would be more useful... To anyone reading this question and also to the answerer who otherwise had to guess what you had in mind. – StayOnTarget Sep 17 '20 at 17:47
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    @DMoore The op says he “has a basement door that leads to the garage...” This is not allowed if he adds a bed. The op says he’s adding a “bed” not a “couch”. If his (or your kids) fall asleep on a couch (or the floor) you’re fine...just not a bed ...that is a sleeping room. Also, your last statement that “you can put a bed anywhere” is not true. – Lee Sam Sep 17 '20 at 17:48
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    @UuDdLrLrSs Did you see my “answer” ? I posted my answer first and then made a comment about “downvoting”...so he’d know why it was downvoted and who did it. DMoore downvoted me out of spite after I downvoted him/her/them. Most people don’t admit that they Downvoted anyone because of retaliation. – Lee Sam Sep 18 '20 at 02:05
  • @LeeSam - so you know how I am thinking? I left a comment on your answer and you STILL can't read and understand why I downvoted. your answer. It is a RIDICULOUS answer and its upvotes is attributed to the code ferries that frequent the site not common sense. Their situation is not unsafe at all, therefor no issue at all having a bed there. You citing code that means nothing to this question is just plain dumb. There are probably 500 million people in the world in a bedroom without an egress window in their lower level bedroom... ridiculous. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 03:41
  • @LeeSam - on your comment... again completely lacking common sense. So wait if the OP wanted to have a couch for people to sleep on in your world that is OK but a bed is not? I don't even know what to say here. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 03:42
  • @DMoore The basic issue is that code, due to people dying because they couldn't get out after waking up in a burning house, puts certain requirements on designated sleeping areas. It is not a 100% guarantee. But it increases the odds of people surviving certain situations. Is the problem that there is a door to the garage, for example? No. The problem is if there is not some direct way to get outside. Garage is a classic example - car fire in garage - bedroom next door (FYI, this is why a real firewall is required for an attached garage), need to have some way out that does... – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 18 '20 at 04:03
  • NOT go through the garage. Could be a door directly outside, could be a large window, etc. Does every house meet these requirements? No. Do plenty of people turn "non-bedrooms" into "bedrooms" and ignore (or often just don't know about) code? Yes. But overall, over time, these types of requirements get worked into new construction, common practice, etc. and save lives. Just like electrical improvements, sprinklers (in places that require them in new constructions), etc. To be responsible, we have to let others who ask these questions know what the rules are. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 18 '20 at 04:03
  • @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact - sorry but your rant is just making stuff up. The OP says there are outs in two different directions. Now the garage out isn't safe, now the OP needs a couch to sleep on but not a bed, now there are garage fires from one side that engulf the house. Holy cow! Wait is a hammock OK? Like one tied to faux palm trees. This question and the comments make this site look like a complete joke. There was no question of "code" for a bedroom by the OP. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 04:15
  • This started with "Do I need an egress window?" That sure sounds like a "code" question for a bedroom to me. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Sep 18 '20 at 04:33
  • @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact - no it doesn't. At all. They aren't even talking about building walls for a room. That is how ridiculous you are acting. Do they. No. What will happen if they don't install one. Nothing. I mean based on Lee and your comments they just need a hide-a-way bed right? You confused the OP now you are confusing yourself. – DMoore Sep 18 '20 at 04:55
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    @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact DMoore does not understand that the egress window is for rescue too. I think most of us want to create a safe environment. Sure, some people will always try to push the limits, but I think this is pretty clear on this case. You can call it a couch, a hammock, towels on the floor, or whatever, but the intent is clear and our Building Officials have determined that an egress window is required, regardless of how many exits you have through a garage. Those that think they know more than the Building Officials will always argue with outlandish statements. – Lee Sam Sep 18 '20 at 07:15