Thumb Rules for Residential Building

• Living Room
-Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and South Side Exposure
- Should be at the front of a house and accessible from the front door
• Dining Room
- Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and South or East Side Exposure
- Should be adjacent to Kitchen and Living Rooms
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Car Port/ Garage
-Minimum Area = 15m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Length = 5cm
- Should be at the front of a house and accessible from the main gate
• Bed Room
- Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 2.7m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and East Side ( morning sun) Exposure
- Should be at the quiet part of the site preferably on upper floors
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Kitchen
-Minimum Area = 6m2
- Minimum Width = 1.8m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Should be at the back of a house adjacent to dining room
- Orient to north side ( cooler side) & kitchen yard
- Minimum Window area should be 15% of floor area
- Perimeter of work triangle should be between 3.6m to 6m
• Bath Room
- Minimum Area= 4m2
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
- Minimum Door Size = 70cm
- Bath Rooms should be adjacent to bed rooms
- Minimum Window height is 1.5m
- Up to 1.5m height interior walls should be covered with ceramic tile
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Half Bath Room
- For visitors and contain WC and HWB
- Minimum Area = 2.5m2
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
- Minimum Door Size = 70cm
- Should be near living & dining room
- Minimum Window height is 1.5m
- Up to 1.5m height interior walls should be covered with ceramic tile
• Study Room
- Mini
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Important Points
- Traffic circulation should follow day today activities
- Avoid traffic circulation through rooms
- If a traffic must pass through a room, arrange doors in such a way that circulation
affects one side or corner of the room
- The route from Garage to Kitchen be defined and short
- Circulation Area should not exceed 15% of total floor area
- Main Entrance near the center of a house decreases corridor length
- Main Entrance to a house should be emphasized, inviting and accessible
- In front of Main Entrance there should be a transitional space like:
- Veranda, Canopy
- In side a house next to Main Entrance there should be a transitional space:
- Foyer, Lobby, Entrance Hall
- Make the Foyer or Entrance Hall the continuation of the exterior
- Rooms located on west side need sheding
- Locate rooms ( non- sensitive to harsh sun) like WCs, Bath Rms, Store or
Garage on west and south west side
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Important Points ( cont…)
- Rooms in a house are grouped into zones
- Common Spaces
- Private Spaces
- Common Spaces: Open to all members of family, active and include
- Living Rm, Family Rm, Dining Rm, Gym, Garage, Kitchen, Utility Rm
- Private Spaces: Require privacy and quietness & include
- Bed Rms, Bath Rms, Study Rm, Pray Rm, Den
- It is important to separate the two zones either by level or location
- With in the common spaces we have two zones
- Living Zone: Living Rm, Family Rm, Dining Rm
- Service Zone: Garage, Kitchen, Store, Utility Rm
- Living Zone should be at the front part of the house
- Service Zone should be at the back part of the house
 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements
- Living Room
- Open both to the members of the family and visitors

- Located near the main entrance of the house

- Location of Living Room Door should allow direct access to living room as soon

as we enter into the house

-Oriented the living room to capture the best view from the site

- Have big windows ( French Window) facing the main street

- The location of the room should not allow view to private spaces like Kitchen,

Bed Rms, Bath Rms etc

-The location of doors in living room should not allow cross circulation

- South exposure is preferable

- Light interior color is preferable

 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Dining Room
- Open both to the members of the family and visitors

- Located adjacent to Kitchen and Living Rm

- There should be swinging door from Kitchen to Dining Room

-Oriented the Dining Rm to capture the best view from the site

- Have windows facing east direction

- Family Room
- Open only to the members of the family

- Located at back ( private) part of the house

-Oriented the Family Rm to capture the best view from the site

- Adjacent to living and dining room

 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Kitchen
- North or East exposure is preferable

- Should be located at the back of the house

- Easy and direct access from kitchen to garage is important

- Kitchen should be next to Dining and Utility Rooms

- Natural light and ventilation is important

-Store
- Near to the room for which it gives service
- Bed Room
- Private spaces and require quietness

- East exposure is best and south exposure is preferable

- Bed rooms should be located near bath room

- Light to medium interior color is preferable

 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Bath Room
- locate in the private part of the house

- avoid direct view from living room to bath room door

- natural ventilation and light is important

- Office/Den
- Den is private office where the parents work at night

- Office is open for customer

- Den should be located in private space adjacent to master bed rm

- Office should be located near main enterance

 Thumb Rules for Residential Building (cont…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Guest Bed Room
- Isolated Room with attached bathroom

- located in such a way that it gets privacy

- Garage
- Easily accessible from main gate

- Easy access from garage to main entrance and kitchen

- Circulation Spaces
- Minimum corridor size is 90cm but the standard size is 1.2m

- Minimum veranda size is 1m but the standard size is 2m