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An egress window is only required for a bedroom. If it will only be used as a closet then a window should not be required.
Your “if” carries little weight, I would take your response as an incorrect answer.
There are differences in “bedrooms” and “habitable spaces”. In the OP’s scenario, finishing an attic space (70sq/ft+) to a “habitable” state makes it fall under the code(s) that deal with egress.
Habitable attics require a vertical access AND emergency escape and rescue opening. “Vertical access would be considered stairs. “Emergency escape”/“rescue opening” can/could be a window. The code is as follows-
(R310.1) Emergency escape and rescue openings required. Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room shall not have less than one operable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, an emergency escape and rescue opening shall be required in each sleeping room. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.
The OP has already stated that he has spoken with the AHJ- they stated that an emergency access/egress WOULD NOT be required. How they made that determination is beyond me… other than how it was presented to the AHJ by the OP.
Defining “habitable space” and “bedroom” may have their differences, but how many people “crash on a sofa” in a living room (habitable space), and in a bedroom??? And who’s to say that a room that doesn’t have a closet can’t be a bedroom (in untechnical terms versus what a RE agent would say)? Most HO’s are ignorant of code requirements, and I could easily see the room the OP is contemplating becoming more than a “habitable space”- and potentially having deadly consequences.
No competent, common sense AHJ/inspector would consider 144sq/ft a “closet”- especially when it is deemed presently as “attic”. Doesn’t matter the state.
Last edited by K'ledgeBldr; 02-15-2024 at 01:51 PM..
No competent, common sense AHJ/inspector would consider 144sq/ft a “closet”- especially when it is deemed presently as “attic”. Doesn’t matter the state.
With no windows it is a closet and I have built many homes with larger closets!
My nephew rented a "primary" closet in San Francisco for $1800/month, about 10 years ago. Think about that for a minute. Somebody rented out their closet for 1800....and they found a tenant! He said it was larger than the bedrooms, and he always had lots of space to hang his work duds!
Maybe before I charge ahead, I'll revisit this with the county planning. I still have the email that said that HVAC was all they wanted to inspect & egress window wasn't required. I sent them the photos attached to this thread, plus this one... that I attached to this post. It is from the drawings of the original build The "floor space" is about 12' front-to-back and about 12' from knee wall-to-knee wall. Ceiling is about 9-1/2' high.
If I added a closet and an egress window, I guess I could easily use it as a habitable bedroom. But I need storage, & was going to add racks & such for totes & other goods.
Maybe before I charge ahead, I'll revisit this with the county planning. I still have the email that said that HVAC was all they wanted to inspect & egress window wasn't required. I sent them the photos attached to this thread, plus this one... that I attached to this post. It is from the drawings of the original build The "floor space" is about 12' front-to-back and about 12' from knee wall-to-knee wall. Ceiling is about 9-1/2' high.
If I added a closet and an egress window, I guess I could easily use it as a habitable bedroom. But I need storage, & was going to add racks & such for totes & other goods.
IBC states that a habitable room shall be no smaller than 70 sq. ft. Many AHJs will interpret this to mean that anything larger than 70 sq ft IS a habitable room (unless it is obviously a boiler room or garage or something like that), although this isn't exactly what the code says.
Lining the space with shelves isn't necessarily proof that you wouldn't turn the space into an office the minute you get your permit--plenty of people have converted closets into home offices in recent years, after all.
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