Minimum floor sizes in the UK?

[penroyaltea]

What are the regulations about minimum or maximum floor sizes?
I am trying to design some affordable housing, I have these numbers:

2 bed, 2 person... 69m2

2 bed, 4 person 76m2

3 bed 4 person 86m2

3 bed 5 person 106m2

7 person, 4 bed... 116m2

I have no idea what they refer to. Is that the maximum floor size you can have to make it affordable social housing?
Also, does a lift/elevator, count as internal floorspace?

Please help!

[nanrehvasconez]

2 bed, 2 person... 69m2 = 6.9m2 = 6.9 x 11.95 = 82.5 square feet whicn is about the same as the USA minimum size per habitable room

2 bed, 4 person 76m2 = 7.6 x 11.95 = 91 sf

3 bed 4 person 86m2 = 8.6 x 11.95 = 102sf

3 bed 5 person 106m2 = 10.6 x 11.95 = 126.5sf

7 person, 4 bed... 116m2 = 11.6 x 11.95 = 138.5sf

69m2 is equal to 825 square feet or a room as big as 41 feet long x 20 feet wide.

elevators, stairways, and bath rooms are not considered habitable spaces

[penroyaltea]

oh cool... are you sure about the habitable spaces thing in the UK? I was told that it was just the floor area from the inside of the outer wall?

[lekizz]

The areas you have listed are more generous than the standard 'Parker Morris' minimums, which gave space standards for public housing in the 1960's/70's and are sometimes still referred to today.

The areas are likely to include everything within the external walls of the house, including stairs and circulation but excluding general storage areas and garages.

Ultimately, having some numbers but not knowing where they are from or what they refer to isn't exactly a good starting point

[nanrehvasconez]

The INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE

R304.1 Minimum Area: every dwelling unit shall have at least one havitable room that shall have no less than 120sf or 11m2 of gross floor area.

R304.2 Other habitable rooms shall have a floor area of not less than 70sf (6.5m2) Excet kitchens.

R304.3 Minimum Dimensions. Havitable rooms shall not be less than 7' (2.13m) in any horizontal dimension.

Gross area is measured from center wall to center wall except for exterior walls or walls facing a common corridor or space..

[lekizz]

I think we established in another thread that the 'International' Code wasn't international. Different nations have different building controls.

For example, the UK internal areas are measured from the internal face of the external walls.

[penroyaltea]

Thanks for helping all.
(I live in the UK by the way)

I think the Areas come from "Housing Quality Indicators" issued by the Housing Corporation as guidelines to the Housing Association, they form part of the score when submitting a bid to the Housing Corp or Housing and Communities agency as it is called now. These areas can also be revised by each of the Housing Association depending on their own guidelines and how they wish to over design an area for a specific need.

It's rather confusing, as I wish to have an external balcony and a lift. I don't see how external balcony can fall within the inside of the external wall. I am also not sure that it is habitable space, and whether the lift counts.