Bedroom with no window? Is it legal?

rey8px2m7altcs

I am looking to build a house from two shipping containers. I included a basic floor plan I have in mind. However I am unsure about the laws on having a bedroom without a window. It would have a door way technically being a sliding panel.
I will be using vents in the door to make sure there is air flow as well.
I know some say it is needed for a fire exit but is that necessary here?


Floor plan done in sims3 lol, I needed a way to get a sense of where things will go :P

DOCARCH

A bathroom does not have to have a window. If no window, extra mechanical ventilation is required. See Part F of the Building Regulations.

DOCARCH

DOCARCH wrote: »

A bathroom does not have to have a window. If no window, extra mechanical ventilation is required. See Part F of the Building Regulations.

I read totally wrong! I read Bedroom as Bathroom!!! Really really need glasses.

A bedroom does have to have a window. Opening = 1/20th floor area. This is in addition to vent/background ventilation.

What objection have you to providing a window?

Gumbo

Window required and along with the sizing to comply with background ventilation, it also has to have an opening to comply with fire safety escape or rescue. The opening needs to be 0.33 Sq. M in area and be at least 450mm square.

doolox

It appears that you have a window in the bathroom. It has been stated that the Bathroom does not need to have a window. You could swap the locations of bathroom and bedroom.

Metric Tensor

I know this isn't relevant to your current query OP but what is your Part L strategy for the house - it might be very hard to meet the requirements.

El Tarangu

Also not strictly relevant to your query, OP, but what it going on in the bottom right? Seems like a fair bit of under-utilised space (whereas the little kitchen annex and living room seem a bit on top of one another).

Also, I think you might need more windows in the main living area.

rey8px2m7altcs

DOCARCH wrote: »

I read totally wrong! I read Bedroom as Bathroom!!! Really really need glasses.

A bedroom does have to have a window. Opening = 1/20th floor area. This is in addition to vent/background ventilation.

What objection have you to providing a window?

Hehe no worries and the main objection is there is little use for one. My partner works shift works so trying to buy heavy enough curtains to block all light plus an extra window, well it seems a lil redundant when we don't open the window anyone.

I am curious though if say there is no wall between the bedroom and the rest of the house, so entirely open plan except for the bathroom then it may work.

kceire wrote: »

Window required and along with the sizing to comply with background ventilation, it also has to have an opening to comply with fire safety escape or rescue. The opening needs to be 0.33 Sq. M in area and be at least 450mm square.

Ah awesome thank you for the details!

doolox wrote: »

It appears that you have a window in the bathroom. It has been stated that the Bathroom does not need to have a window. You could swap the locations of bathroom and bedroom.

Yeah but a bathroom with no natural light is just plain weird.

Metric Tensor wrote: »

I know this isn't relevant to your current query OP but what is your Part L strategy for the house - it might be very hard to meet the requirements.

How come? If you have any ideas on changes I am open to it This is something I plan in a couple years.

El Tarangu wrote: »

Also not strictly relevant to your query, OP, but what it going on in the bottom right? Seems like a fair bit of under-utilised space (whereas the little kitchen annex and living room seem a bit on top of one another).

Also, I think you might need more windows in the main living area.

**Meant to say that the container is 40ft long and 8ft wide so the scale in the sims is a bit off. I have Chief Architect now so I can really get a sense of scale

Ah now my idea there is between the front door and the glass windows directly across from the door I will have a big strip of windows on the ceiling. There will be a window in the kitchen and also the utility part on the bottom right. I don't want loads of windows because they create too much glare on the computer screens lol so why bother with expensive windows and also the loss of heat when we can just have a main panel for the light. I am thinking that the center strip with all the windows will have tiling or something else that will reflect light naturally

The bottom right though I am thinking storage mainly but it is a vague area at the mo.

eeguy

Lorelei Rough Voyage wrote: »

Hehe no worries and the main objection is there is little use for one. My partner works shift works so trying to buy heavy enough curtains to block all light plus an extra window, well it seems a lil redundant when we don't open the window anyone.

why bother with expensive windows and also the loss of heat when we can just have a main panel for the light. I am thinking that the center strip with all the windows will have tiling or something else that will reflect light naturally

You'll miss the natural light. Also windows will make the room feel larger and more open. No windows and a shipping container might feel cramped. Yo only have two windows in your entire house. Windows are really efficient now, so less worry about insulation.

You could buy sliding shutters for the bedroom to keep all light out and cream vertical window blinds for the living/ computer room area. Nice warm free light and no glare.

Love the shipping container idea!

Elemonator

I think a bedroom has to have a window but I'm no builder. Before my parents turned away from the idea of building their own house, I heard a bedroom has to have an opening 5% of the floor area. I can imagine it could get pretty technical though, afterall any room can be a bedroom!

rey8px2m7altcs

eeguy wrote: »

You'll miss the natural light. Also windows will make the room feel larger and more open. No windows and a shipping container might feel cramped.

You could buy sliding shutters for the bedroom to keep all light out and cream vertical window blinds for the living/ computer room area. Nice warm free light and no glare.

Love the shipping container idea!

Ow great idea! Never thought of sliding shutters!
Aye the living room has been an ongoing debate about windows. The main issue is wall mounting. So for instance the TV is wall mounted on one side and then the computers will be mounted on the other sections. Talking for monitors between the hubby and I... could be 5-6 by the time we get this done :P
I may look into some thin, tall windows that could sit either side of the computer setup. However I need to look into how that would affect the stability of the container. I am gonna take a welding course myself as I have prior experience but only with stick welders in my teens and with this build I need MIG. I could put supports in either side of the windows then it wouldn't be that much of an issue and provide a nice mounting for the windows too hmm.

gctest50

Lorelei Rough Voyage wrote: »

........ My partner works shift works so ...........

The noise might drive them demented, unless they can sleep through anything

maybe spread them out a bit ? - might be less noisy

see attached detailed autocad stress anylised drawing

roof over the central bit between the two - orange bit is glass

Gumbo

Have a read of Technical Guidance Document Part L (Dwellings) and then see how you will comply with that.

There are options around spray foam etc but you also have element compliance and renewables to think of.

Angry bird

Get onto yer man in Fermanagh who was on Grand Designs a wee while back with his shipping containers house model.

overshoot

kceire wrote: »

window required and along with the sizing to comply with background ventilation, it also has to have an opening to comply with fire safety escape or rescue. The opening needs to be 0.33 Sq. M in area and be at least 450mm square.

Nit-picking but 450mm min for each side, not square. 0.45x0.45 is c.2sq.m not the target area of .33sq.m. You know someone will just take the dims and forget the maths!

Gumbo

overshoot wrote: »

Nit-picking but 450mm min for each side, not square. 0.45x0.45 is c.2sq.m not the target area of .33sq.m. You know someone will just take the dims and forget the maths!

My post was trying to highlight hat a 450mm square needs to be able to fit out the opening.

Del2005

Lorelei Rough Voyage wrote: »

Hehe no worries and the main objection is there is little use for one. My partner works shift works so trying to buy heavy enough curtains to block all light plus an extra window, well it seems a lil redundant when we don't open the window anyone.

I work shift and have struggled to get the room dark for years, with blackout blinds and eye masks not getting dark enough. Got these recently and have a completely dark room for the 1st time.

Chisler2

Del2005 wrote: »

I work shift and have struggled to get the room dark for years, with blackout blinds and eye masks not getting dark enough. Got these recently and have a completely dark room for the 1st time.

Looks like plastic?

overshoot

kceire wrote: »

My post was trying to highlight hat a 450mm square needs to be able to fit out the opening.

ah i know, dont doubt your knowledge of all people! just figured someones maths would fail and go for 450mm sq

mfceiling

Angry bird wrote: »

Get onto yer man in Fermanagh who was on Grand Designs a wee while back with his shipping containers house model.

Think he was Patrick Doherty from Derry.