Basement Egress Windows

After constructing your family home and applying the finishing touches, you could suddenly discover that your basement is not complete. One thought is to install a basement egress window together with a window well. Egress windows do a lot to a basement. They let more natural light into the dark space beneath the rest of the house. They also serve as very convenient routes of exit when there is a fire or other natural calamity in the home.

It is that it is possible to do all this work by yourself and cut the contractor out of the equation to save money. However, since the work typically involves cutting into the structural foundation of your home you may opt to be safe and hire an experienced professional. The following are the general steps that may need to be taken

1)      Preparation for the job is key to success

Preparation and proper planning will take you far and ensure that your installation goes smoothly. It is important to have protective gear on to minimize the risk of injury. This will entail wearing glasses to shield your eyes and at times ear buds so that your eardrums will not be negatively affected by the sound of machines cutting through stone and wood.

You should also have a timeline of around three to four free days in which to complete the project without rushing through it. Hastening the process will only introduce costly errors that could make you spend even more money than what you wanted to save by cutting the contractor out of the picture.

2)      Find the best location for the window

After you have planned and prepared for the installation, you will need to find the best location to install the basement egress window and the window well. Basically, this will involve scouting the basement for the best spot that will let in natural light to the max. If you are also worried about the aesthetics of the house, then you will have to consider the effect on the home that the spot you will choose will have. It is also going to be important to note if there are any obstacles associated with the chosen spot that could make the installation harder to perform.

3)      Get down to work

After deciding on the spot where you want the basement egress window installed, the next step will be to start drilling pilot holes and cutting through the stone or wood of your basement. The tools for these tasks can always be rented from any workshop in your area, eliminating the need to spend thousands of dollars in buying new equipment. During the installation project, it would be wise to have a cover or tarp shielding the window well from any rain that may suddenly fall on the unfinished work and end up muddying the entire work area.