Add Egress Windows in Your New Basement Remodeling Project

Every finished basement that includes a sleeping area such as a bedroom or an extra bedroom is required to have at least one egress window. Some homeowners worry that an egress window will mar the beauty of their basement or defeat the purpose of having a completely dark bedroom. The actual fact of the matter is that egress windows are required by code and they can save your life. So the best thing to do is to embrace the idea of the egress window and make the most of it!

Egress Window Wells

Window wells allow an escape route in case of an emergency, but they can be so much more. An oversized window well gives you plenty of space to start a small container garden, create a spot for your pet to enjoy the sunshine, or even a small area for your toddler to play “outside” without leaving the basement family room. A clear window well cover is the perfect way to protect the area without compromising the safety features it provides.

Remember those awesome window boxes or shadow boxes you made as a child? Create a window well with the same premise in mind. Decorate your window well to match the season or create a summer wonderland that lasts year-round with a good mix of real and fake plants. Use the window well to add decorations for the holidays, birthdays, and the like.

Land Grade

The grade, or slope, of your property will determine whether or not you need to excavate a window well. Above-grade basements don’t require any excavation where all-below-ground basements need excavation to expose the basement walls for window installation. This is the perfect situation for a nice decorative window well.

A window well on a wall that is completely below ground allows you to bring in natural light while making the basement safer. This is where you can really implement the decorative or functional window wells we mentioned above.

Basement Remodeling and Design in Earleville, MD

Call us at our Maryland office at 410-877-6112 or our Delaware office at 302-793-9352 if you’re in the process of planning a basement remodeling project and would like to discuss your options with us. We’ll schedule an appointment at our next opportunity and share our ideas with you. We do recommend that you collect pictures from online or from your favorite magazine prior to the consultation so that we can get a good idea of what you’re looking for in your newly remodeled basement. We need to make sure we’re all on the same page before we spend time at the drawing board for you.