BCIN House 2024 Exam - Min Room Areas in OBC

Vijaykumar Patel
5 days ago
4 min read

Open‑Concept Living, Dining & Kitchen Explained (BCIN Exam Friendly)

Modern homes love open‑concept layouts — fewer walls, more light, better flow ✨. But when it comes to the Ontario Building Code (OBC 2024), open concept does not mean open‑ended rules.

Tape measure on light wood floor in empty white room. Text: "Building Code Requirement, Minimum Room Area: 70 SQ FT." — A bright, unfurnished room is measured with a tape measure to ensure compliance with a building code requirement of a minimum 70 square feet area.

Each space still has minimum area requirements, especially for the BCIN House Exam.

Let’s break it down in a clear, practical, and fun way 😄.

Why Minimum Room Areas Matter 🤔

The OBC sets minimum floor areas to ensure:

Proper functionality 🛋️🍽️🍳
Adequate occupant comfort
Safe and healthy living conditions

Bookshelves and cardboard boxes fill a study. A chair with tangled cables and folded clothes on a sofa add to the cluttered yet cozy feel. — A cozy home library corner featuring packed boxes and organized bookshelves, alongside piles of neatly folded clothes on a classic armchair, indicating an ongoing move or decluttering effort.

Even if rooms blend together visually, the Code still wants to know:

Does each required space meet its minimum size?

Short answer: Yes, it must. ✔️

Exam Question Breakdown 📝

A new 3‑bedroom dwelling house has an open‑concept design where there are no walls separating the living room, kitchen, and dining area. What is the minimum total floor area required for this combined space according to OBC 2024?

A) 16.75 m²

B) 20.95 m²

C) 13.5 m²

D) Not possible

Try to determine the correct answer first, then review the solution below.

Code References 📖

OBC 9.5.3A.1 – Areas of Living Rooms and Spaces
OBC 9.5.3B.1 – Areas of Dining Rooms
OBC 9.5.3C.1 – Kitchens within Dwelling Units

These three articles are commonly tested together in open‑concept questions.

Step‑by‑Step Calculation

1️⃣ Living Room Area (OBC 9.5.3A.1)

Minimum living room area required:➡️ 13.5 m²

Cozy living room with beige sofas, wooden table, bookshelves, and fireplace. Large window with garden view. Dog resting on an armchair. — Cozy and inviting living room with a neutral color palette, featuring a plush sofa, a large window with garden views, and a rustic wooden coffee table. A sleeping dog adds a touch of warmth to this serene space, which is accented with a wood-burning stove and built-in bookshelves.

2️⃣ Dining Area (OBC 9.5.3B.1)

The Code allows flexibility here:

Separate dining room: 7.0 m²
Dining space merged with living room or kitchen: 3.25 m²

✔ Since this is an open‑concept design, the minimum dining area = 3.25 m²

Rustic dining room with a wooden table set for four, beige chairs, eucalyptus centerpiece, candles, botanical wall art, and wicker pendant. — A beautifully designed dining room featuring a rustic wooden table set with elegant dishes and eucalyptus centerpieces, surrounded by cozy upholstered chairs. The room is adorned with botanical artwork and a woven pendant light, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

3️⃣ Kitchen Area (OBC 9.5.3C.1)

Kitchen size depends on occupancy:

Small kitchen (2 occupants): 3.5 m² ❌
Regular kitchen (more than 2 occupants): 4.2 m² ✅

✔ A 3‑bedroom house means more than 2 occupants → 4.2 m² required

Cozy kitchen with wooden island, apples, coffee setup, shelves with pots. Person kneads dough on marble counter. Warm, rustic vibe. — A cozy kitchen showcases a rustic charm with open wooden shelves lined with copper cookware and potted herbs by a sunlit window. In the foreground, a wooden island holds fresh apples, a coffee carafe, and a cookery book, while hands knead dough on a nearby marble countertop.

Total Minimum Required Area

Living Room: 13.5 m²

Dining Area: 3.25 m²

Kitchen: 4.2 m²

➕ Total:

13.5 + 3.25 + 4.2 = 20.95 m² ✅

📌 Correct Answer: B) 20.95 m²

BCIN Exam Tip 🚀

🧠 Always remember:

Open‑concept layouts are allowed ✔️
But each required space must still meet its own minimum area ❗

If you only remember one rule for the exam, make it this:

Merged spaces still need individual compliance.

Final Thoughts

Open‑concept design gives flexibility in layout — not in Code compliance. The OBC ensures homes remain functional, livable, and safe, even when walls disappear.

Mastering questions like this puts you one step closer to passing the BCIN House Exam 💪📘.

Happy studying! 😊

If you found this question helpful, we have hundreds of practice questions on our portal, including real exam-style scenarios, image-based questions, and challenging problems designed to help you pass the BCIN House 2024 Exam on your first attempt.

FAQs

Can living, dining, and kitchen areas be combined in OBC-compliant houses?

Yes. The Ontario Building Code allows open-concept designs where living, dining, and kitchen spaces are combined. However, each space must still meet its individual minimum floor area requirement, even when no walls separate them.

Do I add the minimum areas together for open-concept layouts?

Yes. For BCIN exam questions, you must add the minimum required areas for the living room, dining area, and kitchen to determine the total minimum floor area of the combined space.

Why is the dining area smaller when it is merged with another space?

The OBC recognizes that dining areas integrated into living rooms or kitchens can function with less dedicated space. That’s why OBC 9.5.3B.1 permits a reduced minimum area of 3.25 m² when dining is not a separate room.

What is the biggest mistake students make on (mon room area) these questions?

The most common mistake is only using the living room area (13.5 m²) and forgetting to add the required dining and kitchen areas. Always check all applicable OBC articles.

*Please note that the information shared in our blog is for educational purposes only, and we do not assume any liability for the actions or decisions made based on this information.