Hi fellow LL,

I just had a garden apartment tenant evicted and now had an empty unit. This is called "English basement" which only about 2 feet is underground with high 9 foot ceiling. There was some space left in the laundry area that I could add a 10' x 15' bedroom to the unit to make it a 2 bedroom apartment. The tricky part is that the new bedroom would have no window to the outside. I could add a window on one wall but it will be facing the laundry area (not outside). What do you think? Should I add this windowless bedroom? Most people prefer sunlight but I know some tenants that never open the windows. I just don't want to waste the space in the laundry area. I think adding a bedroom would be the most efficient use of space (compared to building a storage). Any opinion/advice are welcome.

Thanks,

Steve[MA], thanks for your reply. The new bedroom will not be legal unless you tear the whole unit down, get the zoning change, add more parking space, get a bunch of permits, welcome a parade of inspectors to come check on everything you do, apply for occupancy permit, etc. Please hold on to the "legality" opinions. I simply would like to know the possibility of prospects to accept the windowless bedroom or window to another part of the building (laundry room).

Thank you for your response.

Hopefully you never have an issue with this hobby / den/ office/ bedroom. I personally know of a LL in the Boston area who lost everything he had & faced jail time when someone unbeknownst to him used a part of the basement as a bedroom. There was a fire & several people died.

Large walk in closet.

Large walk in closet.

Death trap.

We have a wierd little room in our house with no window. We put glass block in the upper walls to let natural light in from the other rooms. Looks nice.

I had an apartment property that had two large lower units with only 1 bedrooms, but enough space to add a second bedroom.

The code required the converted bedroom to have:

a) a door with specific dimensions

b) a window of a curtain size no higher then 4 feet from the ground.

c) an escape exit - window that could open and a person could crawl through

d) Ceiling height of at least 7 feet tall.

As a contractor with a massive concrete cutting saw, I cut through the block exterior wall, in the right spot to allow for the Window/Escape requirement. I had to add a steel frame for support. Even through the window was a slider, the fixed panel hinged out to allow for the escape requirements.

The window was frosted because the window faced the alley was and people from a building could view into the converted bedrooms.

I got over $500 a month more rent for adding the bedrooms, and this was over 10 years ago.

If there's a will, there's a way.

My permit called for a added Den. After my permit was signed off, I added a closet in Den, and called it a bedroom, under another permit.

Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas and opinion. I walked around the building outside and found a boarded up window. The other side of that window was a kitchen. This is great. I'll move the kitchen to the empty space and convert the kitchen to the bedroom to have access to outside window.

razorback_tim [AR], based on my new idea. I would be able to advertise it as bedroom :-)

cjo'h [CT], I bought this building because of the upper 6 units above ground. The garden units are bonus.

Amy [MO], do you mean re-arrange floor plan?

Dan [IL], hi Dan! I'm in Chicago as well. We took picture at the last LL convention. Hope you to see you there again this year.

Vee [OH], or bedroom (with outside window)

S i d [MO], yes Sid I was planning to do that. However after discovering the boarded up window, I could create a normal bedroom with outside window. :-)

Steve [MA], same here Steve. Lots of no permits are done on the weekend to avoid the unnecessary red tape.

Katho[OH], 10'x15' walk in closet? Perhaps I could rent it as a luxury apartment :-D

NE[PA], I just found the way to add it.

WMH [NC], yep windowless room could be useful.

Robert J[CA], thanks for the sharing your success story. It's inspiring!

Pacman,

If you are a LL you are liable.

With our retail flips it seems everyone needs and wants an office. Childless couples need a 3 bedroom so they can each have an office.

BRAD

Hi Brad,

True. I have many single prospects who look for 2 bedroom to use one as their office and one for the bedroom. Well, after my discovery, the bedroom will have the real window. I no longer have this problem.

Looking forward to meet you at the convention this year. :-)