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Home : Styles : Awning Window Costs
Egress Window Costs
Egress window costs range from $1,500 to $4,500 for the entire project including professional installation. The window itself (usually a casement or horizontal slider) is no more expensive than the typical style you choose. Egress window prices depend on how the basement is set up and how the window will be installed, etc. We will go through the various steps and provide a range of pricing for each.
Price Range: $1,500 to $4,500 installed
Basics Behind Egress Windows
An egress is an emergency exit that is required for any basement that is deemed to have a livable space. So basically, if the basement has been remodeled or is used on a regular basis, you need an egress exit just in case there is a fire. These projects involve lots of steps in order to be in compliance with city and state building codes. There are tons of variables to a project like this and thus the huge cost discrepancy. For do it yourselfers, the price tag is much lower but there are some fairly heavy duty steps involved in creating a basement egress window.
General Project Pricing
Entry Level: $1,500 - $2,000 --
Mid Range: $2,000 - $3,000 --
High End: $3,000 - $4,500 --
Step One: Dig A Hole For The Window Well
The window has to be able to be opened and there needs to be enough clear window opening for a fire fighter to enter with equipment. We aren't going to go into all the specific building codes on this page - for that information, check out this site Egress Window Cost.
-- Cost Range: $300 - $800 --
Step 2: Install The Retaining Wall / Window Well
A retaining wall is often concrete, which has to be framed and poured. A window well is a less costly option, depending on the material or pre-fab well that you purchase. These are usually much more steep because the well is basically three feet vertically. A real nice option is to have a more gradual slope down into the egress and landscape the area into 2 or 3 tiers.
-- Cost Range: $400 - $1500 --
Step 3: Cut A Hole In The Basement Wall
Cutting the hole is serious business and this is one of the reasons why egress window prices are what they are. Cutting a hole through cement is no laughing matter and special attention must be taken to insure that no water or electrical lines are cut. This is one place where hiring a professional makes a lot of sense!
-- Cost Range: $200 - $400 --
Step 4: Frame The Basement Opening
Framing out the basement opening isn't always necessary, it really depends on what the walls are constructed from.
-- Cost Range: $200 - $600 --
Step 5: Buy & Install The Window
An egress window must have enough clear window opening to satisfy code. The smallest sized window that meets this requirement is a casement, due to the fact that when it opens basically the entire window is opened up. Sliders are the next most popular, although when they open they have about helf of their surface area opened. So a sliding window has to be larger in size to reach the same clear window opening as a casement, thus more money. The positive with this option is that there is more window and therefore more light into the basement (this might also be a negative if the basement is supposed to stay dark for a movie theater or a bar etc).
-- Cost Range: $400 - $1,200 --
