Bedroom with no direct window

[fcoayuso]

Hi all,

I am not sure if this is the right place for this question, so please feel free to move it to the right sub forum.

We would like to renovate the ensuite bathroom and we are wondering if anyone could tell us if what we want do is legally possible.

The current bedroom has two velux windows, one for the bathroom and one for halfway of the room next to the bathroom. We are thinking on extending the bathroom to the hallway so there will be "no window on the room" although the room has access to the big bathroom (2,4 x 2m) with two velux windows. Find below the pictures so you can get an idea of the current shape of the room as well as the modification we want to make.

Could anyone tell us if this is legal from the building regulation point of view? We do not want to have any problem when it comes to sell the house in future.

Cheers,

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Whilst unpleasant for the occupants, believe it or not a window (or a source of natural light) is not required for room to be considered a bedroom. However for it to be considered a bedroom (or any other type of habitable room for that matter) it must have purge ventilation which in essence must be in the form of either an openable window or mechanical extract system and that must be capable of extracting at least four air changes per hour per room directly to the outside. Without one of those your room would not be legal.

 

[Diver Fred]

A means of emergency egress?

 

[fcoayuso]

A means of emergency egress?

No emergency egress right now either, unless you want to climb to the velux (3 meters up).

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No emergency egress right now either, unless you want to climb to the velux (3 meters up).

Correct.

 

[fcoayuso]

Whilst unpleasant for the occupants, believe it or not a window (or a source of natural light) is not required for room to be considered a bedroom. However for it to be considered a bedroom (or any other type of habitable room for that matter) it must have purge ventilation which in essence must be in the form of either an openable window or mechanical extract system and that must be capable of extracting at least four air changes per hour per room directly to the outside. Without one of those your room would not be legal.

Yeah, you are right. For us it would be ok as we can keep the velux open whenever we want so light and air will come through....but I don't want to spend money on extending the bathroom if we are actually decreasing the overal value of the house (one "room" less).