Helen

Most bathrooms are quite small in size, and the door opens inwards into the bathroom.

So while a bathroom could easily have a wider door frame, it would mean more of the room is taken up by the arc of the opening door (which is essentially wasted space since you cant put anything there).

I think they make the doors narrow so less space is wasted by the arc, take a look and if you have a smallish house, you might see that your sink is close to the arc of the door, which wouldnt be possible if the door was wider

Erica

They are cheaper so contractors install them. With the new laws and handicapped accessibility rules, this is changing in some States. Most bathrooms and closets were not usually going to be needing wide doorways for the moving of furniture and the like so they used the smaller ones.

James

Its all about the furniture. The BR and closets usually don’t have furnishings such as beds, couches, etc., which require a large opening, and so the doors are narrower. Had the house been builot for someone in a wheel chair, you be assured it would be ADA compliant.

By the way, many Victorian era houses had DOUBLE front doors. Why?

So caskets could be moved through the door easily. Yup.

Jose

Cheaper.
What furniture needs to fit into room.
Exit doors to outside must be wider for escape routes.
Therefore, rules to escape routes, interior doors has no rules. Many current contractors adding wider interior doors so the house would have more possible buyers.

When remodeling, we put in wider doors. We thought it would be better if we sold house & it gave a more balanced appearance to home. Also, you never know if we would need them wider in the future.

Marie

TO SAVE SPACE FOR OTHER THINGS PLUS YOU DON’T HAVE BIG FURNITURE GOING IN AND OUT