When you convert a residential detached house into hotel, the real estate needs to satisfy several requirements.
If you read through this page, you will be able to reduce amount of renovation cost enormously.
As for structure of building
If structure of a house is not prepared for emergency, you need to conduct large scale renovation.
If red area is 200 square meters or more, width of corridor (red arrow) should be 1.6 meters or more.
If there is not guest room 3, it is 1.2 meters.
Because if width of corridor is narrow, a lot of guests can not escape from your hotel without delay.
In the case guest room is located on 3rd floor, the building should be made of fire proof material.
So you will not purchase a 3 stories woonden house.
If guest room area of a specific story is more than 200 sqm, (semi fire proof), the house needs to have 2 slopes.
If a house is made of wood and guest room area of a specific story is more than 100 sqm, the house needs to have 2 slopes.
So, you will purchase a house with 100 sqm or less.
Distance from guest room and slope (green arrow) should be 30 meters or less (wooden house: 30m )(concrete building : 50 m)
So, in the case this house is wooden house, green distance is 30 meters or less.
Partition wall should be made of fire proof material and up to ceiling.
Guest room and corridor, slope should equip with emergency light (Hijoyou shomei).
When these guest rooms are located on 3rd floor, fire proof partition wall (indicated by pink) is necessary.
If room area of guest room1 is 100 sqm, area of window(1) is 10 sqm or more.
If guest room does not have a window, partition wall should be made of fire proof material.
Width of slope (purple) : 75 cm or more.
Height of 1 (slope below) should be 22 cm or less.
Lenth of 2 should be 21 cm or more.
So, when you visit the house, you will measure the slope.
If angle of slope is steep, it is not suitable in the case of emergency.
If you want to obtain 簡易宿所 license, guest room 1 and 2 should be shared by several families.
If the existintng house is against building standard law, you need to solve the problem.
So, it is better to purchase a house with Kensazumisho (When a house is legal as of establishment, Kensazumisho certificate is issued by government).
Purpose of a building
Each building has purpose of the building. Purpose of a house may be residence.
When you use the house to operate hotel, you need to change purpose of the house into “hotel.”
If room area is 200 sqm or less, you do not need to submit a document to city hall. So, you will not need to hire an architect.
However, you still need to change purpose of the house. When a purpose of a house is changed from residence to hotel, strict regulation should be applied.
You need to confirm if your real estate can satisfy building standard law. If you do not know information about building standard law, you will hire an architect and he will check it up.
Shape of land to get hotel license in Japan
If a house is situated on this land (like a flag), you can not convert the house into hotel legally.
Even if length of black line is 4 meter or more, you can not operate hotel business at Green house.
Of course you will check zoning of the area.
You can not solve of problem of zoning. If you find letter “住居専用地域”, you need to look for other real estate.
Thickness of black road (width of road in your land) should be 1.5 meters or more.
Length of orange arrow should be 4 meters or more.
(Up to room area of 500 sqm)
Your land needs to connect with statutory road.
If a road in front of your hotel is too narrow, fire car can not come to your house.
Room size to make a profit
When you operate hotel business with a detached house, ordinary hotel will be your competitor. In the case of ordinary hotel, capacity of each room will be 1 to 2 persons. So, if capacity of your guest rom is also 1-2 persons, you need to compete with them.
And you will be forced to discount hotel charge.
In order to avoid such situation, you will look for wider room with capacity of 4 persons or more and if you purchase a detached house, it will be possible.
If you look for a real estate to operate a house, lawyer’s assist may be necessary. Because real estate brokers do not have enough knowledge relating to these laws.
(linkedin2019,12)