Adding an egress window... or two

MrNightly

Anybody ever done this? I want / have to put two in my basement that we are finishing off... I've read a little and talked to a few people to get ideas, but I have never actually done the work.

Here's one guys way of doing it.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/1275596.html?page=1

Lot's of manual labor, but I figure to save about 4-5K by doing the labor myself. I might need to take vacation for this task eh? I'm probably gonna pick up the inserts for the outside at Lowe's and just have to cut the walls and dig the holes myself...

Any thoughts?

nadams

I'm surprised that popular mechanics article doesn't have you add a lentil over the window.

DollarDave

I did it, to a point. Then, I hired it done. Without a concrete cutting wet-saw and some jack-hammers to knock the rocks and crap out of the way it is one of the toughest jobs I have ever tried. I didn't read the article all the way through, but check your lcoal building codes when you go down for the building permit - yes, you need one or the tax dude will bust your butt when you sell and get an appraisal. They are specifying 6" below the window line and I think where I was at (Sioux Falls) it was at least 12" and it had to be filled with a certain aggregate to provide for drainage. The lcoal contractor will know the building code....Just spend the 750 or 1000 per window and have someone else do it. I have done tons of remodeling work, and I would NEVER do an egress window again.

WilliamM2

I had to cut some access holes into my basement to add an addition and an egress window last summer. I hired out the cutting, it was only $500 for one 3x6 hole (door for new basement area), one 3x4 hole for window, and a 1x2 hole for duct work. Took them about an hour.

The dust and cement slugde from the cutting will be tremendous, make sure that area of your basement is empty, and hang some tarps about 2 feet back from where they will be cutting to catch the water/cement that will sling off the blade.

The rest is easy, do that your self.

petrym

Yipes, it's easier to have a walkout basement... like me!

dkg999

Do you have a poured concrete foundation or a concrete block foundation? The job takes on a different scale depending on the type of foundation. I have done a number of these in the past, however I own a skid steer loader and backhoe. I would check on the rental costs of a small backhoe, because it will make the job much easier, providing you can get it to the window location. A block foundation requires removal of the mortar, and then cutting of blocks to fill in. You'll need a concrete saw for the poured foundation, vs a block saw for the block foundation. It's all available at the rental stores, however you'll need to add up the costs and compare to what a contractor would charge. The difference might not be huge.

MrNightly

Good info guys. Thanks.

It is poured concrete basement. I might follow the advice about doing most of the digging and stuff myself, and then have the guys cut it out. They want about $2500 here to do it all (Cut out, dig down, add drain, add window, add walk out casing). I figured I could buy all the material for under $750 and with renting the tools (My friend has a saw I can use for free) but the backhoe would be about 300. So, I'd be saving a good bit on both windows...

Still need to research it out further.

Thanks for the words so far.

bchivers

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