By Karla Jones Seidita, Home Economist
B&B Owner/Operator, Retired
"More ????"
Most municipalities have specific guide lines on how many people can safely occupy a building.
The number of people is based, in general, on the square footage of the room or building.
For example, the State of Virginia is encouraging Bed and Breakfasts as a way of increasing tourism and promoting business in our very rural areas. To make things easier and more affordable, the state requirement of sprinkler systems for overnight lodgings has been amended.
In prior years, Virginia required sprinkler systems in case of fire for all hotels. Any place that provided overnight accommodations was considered a "hotel".
With the new amendment, a B&B that has 5 or less bedrooms in one building, is not required to have a sprinkler system. If, however, the B&B has 6 or more bedrooms in one building then, yes, a sprinkler system is still required as it would be in any hotel.
Sprinkler systems are an expense you may not have planned but they're not terribly expensive if you're on public water and the pipes are run outside the sheet rock. You'll often see this kind of pipe retro-fitting in modern office buildings.
For people on wells, however, the expense of a sprinkler system is enormous because a holding tank of thousands of gallons of water is required to insure that, in case of fire, sufficient water is available. And, if local codes require that the tank be buried, the cost becomes astronomical not to mention the amount of yard space that would be needed.
So, when deciding on how many bedrooms to have in your B&B, it's important to research the fire and safety requirements in your area. Do this before you get started setting up your rooms.
Check with your local building office and fire department. Get a printed brochure or print out the information that's posted on line. Don't rely on hear say or a clerk's interpretation of what is required. Always go to the source.
In addition to sprinkler systems, you may be required to post emergency exit signs, lights that go on when the power goes off and provide fire escapes or a second means of egress (exit) but you won't know what you'll need until you check your local regulations.
This can be tedious stuff but it helps if you keep in mind that these regulations are intended to provide a safe environment for your guests - just like what you'd expect when you vacation or treat yourself to a weekend get-away.
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| Go to the source when checking regulations. |
Renovations you may be required to make for fire and safety may also impact the number of guests you'll be allowed.
For example, the State of Virginia is encouraging Bed and Breakfasts as a way of increasing tourism and promoting business in our very rural areas. To make things easier and more affordable, the state requirement of sprinkler systems for overnight lodgings has been amended.
In prior years, Virginia required sprinkler systems in case of fire for all hotels. Any place that provided overnight accommodations was considered a "hotel".
With the new amendment, a B&B that has 5 or less bedrooms in one building, is not required to have a sprinkler system. If, however, the B&B has 6 or more bedrooms in one building then, yes, a sprinkler system is still required as it would be in any hotel.
Sprinkler systems are an expense you may not have planned but they're not terribly expensive if you're on public water and the pipes are run outside the sheet rock. You'll often see this kind of pipe retro-fitting in modern office buildings.
For people on wells, however, the expense of a sprinkler system is enormous because a holding tank of thousands of gallons of water is required to insure that, in case of fire, sufficient water is available. And, if local codes require that the tank be buried, the cost becomes astronomical not to mention the amount of yard space that would be needed.
So, when deciding on how many bedrooms to have in your B&B, it's important to research the fire and safety requirements in your area. Do this before you get started setting up your rooms.
Check with your local building office and fire department. Get a printed brochure or print out the information that's posted on line. Don't rely on hear say or a clerk's interpretation of what is required. Always go to the source.
 |
| Fire escapes don't have to be ugly. This deck and stairs add to the charm of the room as well as provide an emergency exit. |
This can be tedious stuff but it helps if you keep in mind that these regulations are intended to provide a safe environment for your guests - just like what you'd expect when you vacation or treat yourself to a weekend get-away.
