Basement Egress
I have an unfinished basement with 2 standard little windows. If I want to finish two bedrooms, I'll have to install egress windows. Correct? My question. Is this something that is a possible do-it-yourselfer can do, or is this something that is best left to the professionals? I went to a home store and saw egress windows for about $100-$125. Does anyone know the price that I would be expected to pay to have someone replace the two windows and install egress in their place? The basement is 100% poured concrete. It is not a walk out or daylight. Thanks! ShaneK, You're correct tht each bedroom must have it's own egress with proper size window and proper installation of same. Normally, to hire this done, egress unit with outside window well built to code would run about $2000 - $3500 installed - EACH, depending on where you live. This would take care of any interior finish work within that room if it was all finished now, i.e. window trim, touch up paint. That seems like a lot but there is alot to do in installing these and sometimes the cost outweighs the safety and homeowners don't install them. Last I heard, a life was more valuable than the cost to install safety features. Anyway, it is usually not a do-it-yourself project mainly because of the types of tools and time it takes to get it done. Digging takes time and laying concrete block or concrete walls isn't that easy. You should make some calls for estimated cost to do this and decide wisely. Hope this helps! I just got done putting two casement windows in my basement. I installed two 30 x 48 casements (1 for bedroom and 1 for rec room). I am an average DIY'er, still green with a lot of things, and did it all except cutting the poured concrete wall. I did a get a building permit . Here is what I learned - the hard way: I spent about a 6-months researching building articles, magazines, and this website. Then put together a step-by-step plan. Having each detail worked out before hand saved me on a few things. But of course, there were always some hick-ups. 1. It took me 20 hours to dig out the wells - by hand. I then had to frame it up w/ plywood and 2x6 to keep if from caving in (I had a sandy/gravelly/some clay mix - great for drainage!). The two holes were each 5' x 5' x about 6'-deep. Thats a lot of loads in a pickup truck back to the garden! It would have been worth hiring this out - but it was a great workout. 2. I hired out the concrete cutting -runs about $25/foot. My two windows cost about $900 to cut out because I had them cut each block into 6 pieces so I could sledge them easier for removal (which was not included with any concrete contractor I called). 3. I was within a foot of the footer - and I was still very sandy, but I used a 3-inch manual soil boring tool just to get some good 3/4 gravel down beyond the footer for drainage. 4. Window installation was easy! - frame it up with P.T. 2x10 and hammer it home (with a few other standard window details..) 5. I installed two bilco scapewels - kind of difficult because I only left 1-foot on each side to install the concrete anchors. I had to twist and turn to secure them well. 6. Backfill - was never ending. I put in 3.5 yards of stone into each of them with a wheel barrow. 7. Finished w/ Cedar - and it looks great. Building inspector said you did a great job! and it kind of made it worth it! In an nutshell - unless you are really motivated and can put in several long 8-10 hours day of backbreaking labor - hire it out. Let me know if you have any specific questions about any step and I will elaborate. We probably install more egress windows then anyone in the country. Have a crew and that is about all they do. A code egress window crank out will run about $175.00. The large well which is also code will run about $125.00. Total materials about $400.00. Now comes the labor. We install a egress window for $900.00 each. No interior finish work, except we shadow box in the window. They look great. The trick is the concrete saw. The saw costs about $3000, and no one rents the correct saw. Blades $300 each with diamond tips on the teeth. Only can be bought at one place in the USA. This is not a DIY job. Terrible dusty job, terrible hard, but we have gotten it down to about 7 hours with 3 guys. Yes, you need egress windows in bedroom basements. Hey Jack, How far does that crew roam from home? I doubt many contractors have that saw. Obviously, the investment is paying for itself. This is great information! Are there structural issues with cutting out a big hunk of your foundation wall? Do you have to install some sort of header? John Nelson, The process for egress windows are normally installed just below the rim joist. Cutting the block/concrete wall starts there and the window buck is framed in. There is no issue of installing a header as the span is not that wide and the rim is usually sufficient to accommodate load above. In some cases you would make some reinforcement but rarely. These required to be installed as per code so windows must meet size requirements. I have attached a good link for what is involved and my compliments to Kaps for doing an excellent job of explaining his hard efforts at installing them. http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...sement_window/ Jack installs them for a reasonable price but compared to Detroit or Mpls/St. Paul he is underpriced! Hope this helps! I live in Appleton, WI. I just had two windows put into my basement (yesterday as a matter of fact). One 4X4' for egress and another 3X2' for some natural light in the rec room I'm building. I had a contractor dig the wells and cut the openings in poured concrete. $550 for the egress window and $175 for the smaller window. This included digging, cutting, hauling dirt and concrete. I installed the 2X8 PT framing and windows. Materials ran about $325. (Still have to do the finish work) Note: Quotes to have a contractor do the whole job ranged from $2 - 3000. Take a look at a product called scapewell. I saw it used on the home improvement show that Joanne Liebler appears on now on HGTV (think it's called Home Savvy' It's a preformed plastic unit that looks like it woul be real DIY friendly
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