DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Basement Bedroom/Bathroom

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  GBrackins 
#1 ·
Hi All,

I am getting married in the fall and am in the process of planning a bedroom/bathroom in my parents basement. I was wondering if this is the right place to get some help with some issues I have encountered while trying to design a layout for a basement bedroom and bathroom.

We have a roughly 30'x11' space and I am trying to work around the fuse panel, vent stacks, rough in plumbing and furnace.

I have an image of the space with gridlines and the locations of all the constraints I mentioned above noted. Would this be a place where someone could assist with the design constraints?
http://i.imgur.com/gmGKL.png

My understanding is that the bathroom have the fuse panel inside it. Even if we create a walled in closet with door with 3-4 feet of working room when opened.

I was also told that the furnance room cannot be walled off with a door that enters directly into the bedroom. Is this true?
 
#2 ·
In what area, exactly, are you trying to do what, exactly? Vent pipes are cosmetic issues. 30x11 is enough area for both rooms, depending on what your aesthetic desires are. It would be helpful if you sketched in where you are planning to do what, then you may get some good ideas.
 
#3 ·
Going to have to get permits for this and make sure there's points of egress.
There also going to be looking at ceiling height.
Any moisure issues?
All this needs to be addressed before spending any money or time.
 
#5 · (Edited)
What pictures would you be looking for? Currently there is a bedroom in the middle of the diagram I posted so I can't show the whole space.

This is also 1/3 of the basement space since the rest is finished and won't be impacted I have excluded it from the floor plan.

What are acceptable points of egress? I don't think the windows are going to be viable options. The room would have two exits one either side of the basement. Both which have access to get to the main floor via stairs from the basement and the far side is also next to stairs lessing to the garage.

As for where I would want the rooms the best case would
Be a bathroom with an opened up larger room to accommodate an office space in the bedroom. We originally had designs with the bathroom on the right side but now don't believe that is possible due to te fuse panel location.

I can post my favorite designs with walls / furniture tomorrow.

Is it correct that the furnace area cannot be closed off with access through a bedroom?
 
#6 ·
"What are acceptable points of egress? " Check w/ a local code official, but it is common to require an egress window in all bedrooms to be legal. If you need a permit for this, then I think someone is going to wonder about a window. I don't thing "great rooms", etc, require windows, but I think you'll find that a bedroom does. Good luck.
 
#9 ·
I don't think the windows are going to be viable options. The room would have two exits one either side of the basement. Both which have access to get to the main floor via stairs from
To be a "bedroom" the space must have a window (and a closet).

All bedroom windows must open large enough for YOU to "egress" from while standing on the floor and without breaking glass...
and large enough overall for a firefighter (in turnout gear, with air tank etc)
to pass through even if they must break glass.

If this window is below grade then the window well must also be adequately sized.

The OTHER exits from the space have other rules.
 
#10 ·
Quantum,

check with your local building department for the National Building Code requirements, and well as any local or provincial regulations as they relate to your basement apartment as I do not have a copy of the NBC. I would expect to see the following:

1. 2 means of egress from the bedroom with one allowed to be a window
2. at least 1 window in the bedroom must meet the requirements for an Emergency Escape and Rescue Opening
3. minimum ceiling height requirement
4. minimum energy compliance requirement (insulation and glazing requirements)
5. Smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
 
#11 ·
Hi Quantum,

According to the Fire Code in Ontario, you need to have two forms of egress into a separate basement apartment - one is usually the stairs to the basement, and the other is a window large enough for a fireman to get into - approx. 3 ft x 3 ft.

However, if you are putting in a bedroom and a bathroom into your home that is not a separate unit, then those regulations do not apply. All you need is stair access to the basement.

Attached are two ideas for the layout. The first one puts the bathroom to the left side. This would require breaking up the concrete in the basement and installing a PVC pipe to connect to the plumbing stack with a 0.5% slope, then putting concrete on top again - a common procedure. This gives you a window in the bathroom and open space for the bedroom/office.

The second one puts the bathroom in the middle with two open areas on either side for the office or bedroom. You could install a new basement size window for the bathroom, or a fFire Code sized window if it is a separate apartment.

Last word - once you get a layout you are happy with, you can take the sketch to your building department who will tell you if there are any problems with the building code in your layout.

Hope this helps ...
 

Attachments

#12 ·
Thanks everyone and thanks KevinPh for the rules in Ontario and some design layouts.

I have been reading up on what I can and the rules can be hard to interpret. The rooms for now would not be considered a seperate unit but that might be a long term plan.

If the space was to be converted to a basement apartment at a later date, would the seperate entrace to the basement that runs parallel with the right side of the floorplan satisfy the egress requirements or would a proper egress window still have to be installed. From what I read in the firecode that one exit may be sufficient. Link below sec 9.8.3.2.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_070213_e.htm

I thought I read somewhere there is issues with having the furnance room closed off and connected to a bedroom. Do sliding doors or doors with slats in them solve this problem?
 
#13 ·
Quantum,

I would think you could install a fresh air intake from the outside (to bring combustion air into the furnance room) and be able to install a solid core door if your furnance is fuel fired. Check with the building department. If you are creating a furnance room I would recommend installing fire rated gypsum board on the interior side of the room (ceiling too) and using either a fire rated or 1-1/2" solid core door. Install a carbon monoxide and heat detector in the space as well. Just my humble thoughts ....
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top