How many rooms does a family need?

There is no single correct number of rooms

The right home size cannot be determined solely using the formula of one person per room. The living room is used jointly, younger children can often share a bedroom, and some families additionally require an office, guest room or space for a carer.

The actual space requirement depends in particular on:

• the number of adults and children,
• the children’s ages and developmental stages,
• sleeping patterns and daily routines,
• the possibility and willingness to share a child’s bedroom,
• regular or occasional home working,
• shared-care arrangements following separation,
• frequent overnight guests,
• particular health or care needs,
• storage for pushchairs, toys, sports equipment and clothing,
• the floor plan and actual usability of the rooms,
• the long-term housing budget.

A home should not only work today. Families should consider whether the layout will still suit their daily lives in three to five years. A shared playroom may later become a study, while a small child’s bedroom may become too cramped or impractical as the child grows.

What does the room count mean in a Swiss apartment?

In property listings, the number of rooms generally refers to the living room and bedrooms. The kitchen, bathroom, toilet, corridor, cellar and balcony are normally not counted as full rooms. The precise designation and calculation can, however, vary according to the region, provider and property.

Typical layouts

Half a room is not automatically an additional bedroom

A 3.5-room apartment does not necessarily contain three separate bedrooms or offices. The half-room may, for example, be an open dining area, a larger entrance hall or an extension of the living room.

The floor plan should therefore be checked for the following:

• Can the area be closed with a door?
• Does it have its own window?
• Is it adequately lit, ventilated and heated?
• Can a bed, wardrobe and possibly a desk fit inside?
• Is it a passage to another room?
• Can it be used permanently as a bedroom or office?

For the Swiss Federal Housing Office’s housing assessment system, rooms are defined as naturally lit, ventilated and heated living areas that can be used for different purposes. Half-rooms are not counted as full rooms in this assessment system. This definition provides useful guidance, but does not replace an examination of the individual listing and floor plan.

Reference values by family size

The following table shows ranges that are often practical. It does not define a statutory minimum size or an automatic entitlement to a particular apartment.

In smaller apartments, the usability of the available rooms is decisive. A 3.5-room apartment with generously sized bedrooms, a storage room, cellar and clear floor plan may work better than a cramped 4-room apartment with walk-through rooms and hardly any storage.

How does the required number of rooms change during different family stages?

Family with a baby

During the initial period, a baby does not necessarily require a fully equipped separate playroom and bedroom. An additional room can nevertheless be valuable for changing, clothing, sleeping, visitors or as a later retreat area.

Initially, the following may be more important than the room count:

• sufficient space for a pushchair and baby equipment,
• a lift or easily accessible ground floor,
• laundry facilities,
• a quiet sleeping area,
• sufficient storage space,
• safe windows, stairs and balconies.

Family with toddlers

Toddlers spend a great deal of time in shared areas. A clear and safe play area in the living room can therefore be more important than several small rooms that are difficult to use.

Practical features include:

• short routes between the kitchen, living room and child’s bedroom,
• a visible play area,
• easily accessible storage,
• durable flooring,
• a shared child’s bedroom with clearly defined sleeping areas,
• a practical outdoor area or nearby playground.

Family with schoolchildren

When children start school, the need for quiet places to study, read and store school materials increases. A child’s bedroom does not have to be large, but should accommodate a bed, wardrobe and suitable workspace.

The following can help when a bedroom is shared:

• two separate workspaces,
• personal cupboards or shelving sections,
• visual division of the room,
• different study times,
• an additional quiet workspace in the living area.

Family with teenagers

Privacy, opportunities for retreat and personal design become increasingly important as children grow older. Different sleeping, studying and leisure habits can make sharing a bedroom more challenging.

A separate bedroom becomes particularly valuable where there are:

• large age differences,
• different sleeping schedules,
• regular studying and examination preparation,
• frequent visits from friends,
• a strong need for quiet or privacy,
• particular health or developmental needs.

Can siblings share a bedroom?

Siblings can often share a bedroom successfully, particularly when they are of a similar age, have comparable sleeping schedules and have enough space for personal areas. There is no fixed age limit requiring separate bedrooms in ordinary private family housing.

When a shared bedroom can work well

• The children accept sharing the bedroom.
• Their sleeping times are similar.
• Each child has a separate bed.
• Personal possessions can be stored separately.
• There are additional retreat areas elsewhere in the home.
• The bedroom is sufficiently large and easy to furnish.
• Conflicts can be addressed through clear rules.

When separate bedrooms may become advisable

• The children regularly disturb one another’s sleep.
• One child requires considerable quiet for studying.
• Their daily routines differ significantly.
• There is a large age difference.
• Privacy is becoming increasingly important.
• One child has particular sensory, health or care needs.
• Sharing causes substantial long-term conflict.

Dividing a shared bedroom effectively

Why the floor plan is often more important than an additional room

The advertised number of rooms says little about how well a home functions in everyday family life. The decisive question is whether the rooms can actually be furnished and used independently.

Features of a good family floor plan

• Bedrooms are not walk-through rooms.
• The rooms provide sufficient wall space for furniture.
• Doors and windows do not prevent practical furnishing.
• The living area provides space for eating, playing and spending time together.
• Sufficient closed storage is available.
• The bathroom and toilet are practical for the household size.
• The kitchen and living area are connected by short routes.
• Children’s bedrooms are not directly beside particularly noisy areas.
• A balcony, courtyard or playground is safely accessible.
• A cellar, internal storage room, bicycle room and pushchair room supplement the living area.

Problematic floor plans

• Walk-through rooms without privacy,
• very narrow or irregularly shaped rooms,
• long corridors with considerable unusable space,
• limited wall space because of numerous doors and windows,
• insufficient storage,
• open sleeping areas without acoustic separation,
• a living room that must permanently serve as a bedroom,
• a half-room that cannot be closed off.

Assess the room count and living area together

Two apartments with the same number of rooms can have very different living areas. A 4.5-room apartment may be compactly designed or may offer generous bedrooms, several bathrooms and extensive storage.

Do not compare square metres alone

The living area should be assessed together with:

• the size of the individual rooms,
• the proportion used for corridors and circulation,
• the ceiling height,
• sloping ceilings,
• built-in cupboards,
• an internal storage room, cellar and attic,
• a balcony, garden or communal areas,
• the number and size of bathrooms,
• the furniture layout options.

Storage does not fully replace an additional room

A large cellar or internal storage room reduces the burden on the living areas, but does not provide an additional opportunity for privacy. Conversely, a home with an additional small room but no storage can quickly appear overcrowded.

Families often require space for:

• pushchairs and child car seats,
• toys and books,
• clothing in several sizes,
• school and craft materials,
• bicycles, scooters and helmets,
• sports and leisure equipment,
• seasonal items,
• food supplies and household appliances.

Home office, guests and particular needs

Regular home working

A separate office is particularly useful when:

• someone works from home several days per week,
• confidential conversations take place,
• both parents work at the same time,
• video conferences are frequent,
• work materials need to remain set up,
• concentrated work is required during everyday family life.

A well-planned work area may be sufficient for occasional home working. It should provide adequate light, an ergonomic workstation, electrical connections and a place to store documents.

Guest room

A separate guest room is only worthwhile when it is actually used regularly. Flexible alternatives include:

• a sofa bed in the living room,
• a folding bed in the office,
• a multifunctional playroom and guest room,
• a guest room within the residential development,
• nearby overnight accommodation.

Health and care requirements

An additional room may be necessary or particularly helpful for:

• medical equipment,
• regular care or therapy,
• very different rest requirements,
• sensory sensitivity,
• night-time care,
• stays by a carer,
• the need for a quiet retreat room.

Which rules apply in Switzerland?

No rigid room formula for ordinary private rented housing

There is no uniform rule across Switzerland requiring, for example, four or five rooms for a household of four in the ordinary private rental market.

A landlord does not, however, have to accept actual overcrowding. Whether a home would be overcrowded is assessed according to the particular circumstances. Relevant factors include:

• the number of rooms and living area,
• the size and usability of the individual rooms,
• the number and ages of the occupants,
• the duration of the occupancy,
• the sanitary facilities,
• the intensity of use,
• possible effects on the building or neighbours,
• the contractually agreed use.

A commonly cited rule of thumb assumes that the number of occupants may exceed the number of rooms by one or two. This rule must not be applied mechanically. Two adults with two young children use a well-designed 3-room apartment differently from four unrelated adults.

Statistical definition of overcrowding

For statistical purposes, the Swiss Federal Statistical Office uses a detailed definition. The minimum required number of rooms is determined according to factors including the household size, couples and the ages and genders of children.

In simplified terms, the statistical minimum includes:

• one shared room for the household,
• one room per couple,
• one room per single person aged 18 or over,
• one room for two children of the same gender aged 12 to 17,
• one separate room for each additional child aged 12 to 17,
• one room for every two children under the age of 12.

Municipal and subsidised housing

Binding minimum occupancy requirements may apply to municipal or subsidised housing. For many apartments, the City of Zurich applies the following rule:

Family apartments may also be subject to requirements concerning the number and ages of children, income, assets, place of residence or duration of residence. These rules differ according to the city, municipality and housing scheme.

Cooperative housing

Many housing cooperatives aim to prevent underoccupancy. A common rule is that an apartment may have no more than one room more than the number of permanent occupants.

Examples:

• One person may often apply for no more than a 2-room apartment.
• Two people often meet the minimum occupancy requirement for a 3-room apartment.
• Three people often meet the minimum occupancy requirement for a 4-room apartment.
• Four people often meet the minimum occupancy requirement for a 5-room apartment.

The individual cooperative may provide different rules, transition periods and exceptions. The letting regulations, tenancy agreement and property listing are decisive.

Shared care and blended families

Where children do not live in the apartment permanently, it must be clarified how they are counted for minimum occupancy purposes. The City of Zurich, for example, counts minors as occupants when they live in the apartment for at least 50 per cent of the time, even when their official place of residence is elsewhere.

Other landlords may require different evidence or minimum periods of residence. Families should therefore clarify the following before applying:

• How many nights do the children regularly spend in the apartment?
• Do they have a permanent sleeping place there?
• Do they keep personal clothing and possessions in the apartment?
• Which evidence does the landlord require?
• How are changes to the care arrangement handled?

The “family home” under tenancy law

The legal concept of the family home does not refer to a particular number of rooms. It refers to the jointly occupied home of married spouses or registered partners. Special protective rules apply to termination notices. Whether children live in the household or how many rooms the apartment has is not decisive for this legal classification.

More rooms or a lower housing budget?

An additional room often increases the rent, service charges and costs of furnishing, cleaning and moving. The largest affordable apartment is therefore not automatically the best option.

Compare the complete housing costs

Reasonable compromises

• A slightly smaller home with a practical floor plan.
• A shared children’s bedroom during the first few years.
• A work area instead of a permanently unused office.
• No guest room when overnight visitors are rare.
• A good cellar and pushchair room instead of additional living area.
• A less expensive neighbouring municipality with a direct public-transport connection.
• A cooperative apartment with occupancy rules and lower cost-based rent.

Do not save in the wrong areas

The following are not reasonable compromises:

• permanently inadequate sleeping places,
• substantial overcrowding,
• no retreat area where there is a particular need,
• unhealthy dampness or mould,
• unsafe windows, balconies or stairs,
• unaffordable total costs,
• a floor plan that permanently obstructs everyday family life.

Practical examples from everyday family life

Step by step towards the right number of rooms

1. Record all permanent and regularly present household members.
2. Review the current sleeping places and retreat areas.
3. Estimate the family’s requirements for the next three to five years.
4. Decide whether and for how long siblings can share a bedroom.
5. Include home working, guests and particular needs.
6. Define the minimum and preferred number of rooms separately.
7. Calculate the maximum total affordable housing costs.
8. Compare floor plans rather than only room counts.
9. Check the size and furnishability of each room.
10. Consider storage, cellar, internal storage room and communal areas.
11. Check the landlord’s occupancy rules.
12. Clarify how children are counted in shared-care arrangements.
13. View the apartment with the measurements of the existing furniture where possible.
14. Prioritise long-term affordability over additional space.

Checklist: How many rooms does our family need?

Frequently asked questions about room numbers for families