From “Ask Kit!”:
Q: Hi Kit , Im glad I found your site. I own a two bedroom home in a small town in northern mich..The tourist industry is good in are area. Im thinking of turning it into a b&b. Do you think it could work? Is it possible to turn a regular house into a lodging for tourist and call it a bed and breakfast?
A: I’m glad you found us too. I hope you learn and participate.
You are asking valuable and pertinent questions. The first question to get answered is what uses does your neighborhood and community zoning allow. Often a house with two guestrooms are allowed to operate in limited ways, like no business signage and no big events.
To get to your burning questions, it is possible to turn your home into a B&B. Though it’s a small operation, I still urge you to take a seminar and read books on the subject so you can make wise business decisions — after making sure this is the industry for you. There is lots of great education out there. You can read about my services at http://www.thebandblady.com/e-books.html, http://mwww.thebandblady.com/b-and-b-seminars.html, and http://www.thebandblady.com/bed-and-breakfast-consulting.html. There are seminars available in Michigan and other areas. Check with Yellow Brick Road at http://www.yellowbrickroadnl.com for more informaton.
Participate in this forum too. There are lots of great minds here waiting to help you
Kit’s right. Zoning is extremely important. There’s no point in even considering this idea if you’re not zoned to run B&B or homestay operations.
Before proceeding further, check with your municipal government to find out what the zoning restrictions are.
If you are allowed to proceed, you will then need to check with your state building code to find out what you’ll need to do in order to be in compliance with state hotel law.
For example, in Pennsylvania, B&B operators are required to illuminate all public areas at all hours to avoid tripping hazards. We are must have smoke detectors in all rooms. We are also required to have at least two exits from each floor.
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Inn at Elizabethville