Laying out a six-bed RCFE: bedrooms, bathrooms, and what Title 22 counts
California’s care-home regulations, Title 22, set a short list of layout minimums for an RCFE: no more than two residents sleep in a bedroom; no resident’s bedroom is used as a passageway to another room, bath, or toilet; at least one toilet and washbasin for every six people; and at least one bathtub or shower for every ten. The licensed capacity of the home is set partly on those counts.
The detail people miss
The bathroom ratios count everyone who lives in the home. The toilet count includes residents, family, and personnel; the bathing count includes residents, family, and live-in personnel. A six-resident home with a live-in caregiver is counting seven people, which is more than one toilet covers.
What we design beyond the minimum
The following isn’t regulation. It is what makes a home easier to run and easier to fill:
- Private rooms. Two to a room is allowed. Many families choosing a home for a parent ask for one.
- Bathrooms sized for help. A roll-in shower and room for a caregiver to stand beside a resident, close to the bedrooms.
- Sightlines. A kitchen and staff station that look onto the living and dining areas, so one caregiver can cook and still see everyone.
- A place for staff. A room or desk for records and medication storage, away from the residents’ living space.
- Outdoor space residents can use alone. A level, enclosed courtyard reached without steps.
- Laundry and storage that match the workload. A care home runs more laundry than a household the same size.
How this looks on a real lot
A layout we like for a six-bed home is a single-story plan wrapped around a secure courtyard, with the bedroom wings opening toward it. The courtyard gives every resident daylight and a safe place to walk, and staff can see it from the common areas. We get there by asking how the home will run on an ordinary Tuesday, then checking it against the code. Asking in that order works.
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We’re builders, not licensing consultants. This is general information, not legal or licensing advice — confirm the details for your property with your city, your local fire authority, and Community Care Licensing.
Sources
Common questions
How many residents can share a bedroom in an RCFE?
No more than two residents may sleep in a bedroom under Title 22 §87307, and a resident's bedroom can't be used as a passageway to another room, bath, or toilet.
How many bathrooms does a six-bed RCFE need?
Title 22 §87307 requires at least one toilet and washbasin for each six persons, counting residents, family, and personnel, and at least one bathtub or shower for each ten persons, counting residents, family, and live-in personnel. With live-in staff, a six-resident home needs more than one toilet. Most well-designed homes provide more than the minimum.
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