Changing bad layout- need advice

[Ryan Schuler]

Hey guys,

I just bought a 1932 built duplex in Memphis, TN and the layout is kinda weird. I would like to change it. Both sides are shotgun style front to back. I’d like your input. Both sides are laid out like this, if I can explain:

(Back of the house)

Kitchen (plumbing on inside wall of duplex)

Bedroom 2

Bathroom (plumbing on inside wall of duplex)

Bedroom 1

Living Room

Front porch

The problem is there is no hallway from the front to the back of the house. You have to walk from the living room through BR1, then through BR2 to get to the kitchen, eliminating privacy in both bedrooms.

Here is my question- if I make a hallway along the outside wall of each unit and put actual doorways in front of each bedroom then there will be no windows for the bedrooms. I think this is against code, so I am trying to find a way around it.

Is this against TN code? And if so... would a header with 2 sliding barn doors still be considered “closing off the room” or could I get away with it as basically a “fancy curtain”?

Thanks!

[Will Barnard]

You are required to have proper egress from every bedroom so no, having no windows or exterior doors from each bedroom with proper egress would be illegal.

If you buy this, you definitely need to change the layout as resale value is gong to be extremely diminished with this layout of walking through two bedrooms to get to the kitchen. Perhaps you can run comps and see if this could be converted to one large single family home? Perhaps the resale would be better?