How to install a basement egress window on a budget? It’s really not as complicated as it may seem. I’m John Browning, a home improvement expert with over 50 years of combined construction and design experience. And I’ve done these several times over the years personally. Avoid those giving you bids of $5000-9000 dollars as they are just reaching in your pockets and helping themselves. Here’s a ballpark range of the real cost.

Excavating cost; $200-400

Saw cutting cost; $400-1200

Window cost; $350-600 If you shop for things, you may find a good deal like this for $175.00; https://shop.americanwindowsonline.com/32-x-40-white-inswing-egress-casement-window-nvc3240w/

Window Well/Ladder $300-650

Average cost range $1250-2900 (as of 2023 pricing)

 Consist of these typical components;

Putting in an egress window with a little labor help is easy to dig up and install.

You can call either a landscaper with digging tools or supply your own and or call a temporary labor company for a couple of guys to dig it out.

If using a casement window, you’d order after cutting the wall. You’d work with the width if using an existing window opening and cut towards the floor no higher than 40”. The window to fit has to have a minimum clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft. or 820 sq. inches. If your existing window is 30-36”, a window can be a double hung which lifts up or a casement window which is a crank out type but again keeping it 40” or less to the floor. If below 18″ from the floor, it must have tempered glass. See my blog about egress code if not already reading this at the link; https://basementdesigner.com/egress/

Before ordering a window, you’d saw cut this straight down in the small window opening, no need to make it wider. If a new window opening, your choice on size and location. There are many companies out there that offer concrete sawing services and stay away from the high-priced egress specialty companies if you’re trying to save a few thousand dollars. These saw companies charge per linear foot which runs about $8-45 bucks per linear foot and avoid any charging by the square foot as this would not be fair. If you have a good handyman type laborer and for a couple hundred bucks, at this link example you can possibly just buy a concrete saw like this Vevor Electric concrete saw 16 in, 3200 watt to do the job and still save a ton of money.

If you dug the hole outside to the bottom of the foundation, you can hide this big chuck of cement you cut out by letting it fall into the hole. Nothing to haul away. First inspect if you have or don’t have a perimeter drain you can expose to put ¾” gravel over up to the bottom of the window with or without the chunk of wall you cut out. If no perimeter drain, look for a window well that has a matching size dome cover or hinged lid to divert rain and snow getting in. Tying into a perimeter drain works best and is needed for water drainage regardless.

Then frame your new cut opening with pressure treated 2×10 ripped or whatever is needed for the wall thickness; check for being square and use shims to make this frame square before measuring to order attaching with a POWDER ACTUATED FASTENER you can buy or rent like a 0.22 caliber Power fastening tool and liquid nails like you would do to glue your wall framing inside to the floor. Then measure and order a window to fit unless you were good with math and figured out how to cut it to size with the lumber fit to buy a lower cost readymade in stock window. You’ll tack up plywood while waiting for the window order if you don’t already have the window.

The window well has to be wider outside due to the swing of the window to allow rescue workers to get in (36”x36” minimum) and or for large guys like us to get out if a fire or another emergency. With it offset, this will pass code and you must have a ladder in it attached to the well and or some designed well that allows a way to climb in and out. You can fasten this too with a tool like the POWDER ACTUATED FASTENER. If no perimeter drain, the well to the bottom of the foundation or at least six inches under the new window should be filled with gravel, then order a window well and cover like this; Bilco ScapeWEL® Window Wells – Planter Design It not only looks nice but serves as the ladder too and get the Window Well Cover Option, this will keep the rain from filling it up with water.

Was this too much info? Make sure to send me half the money I saved you, lol.

The egress will provide a safe method to escape and or be rescued for any reason.

Many Egress Window Well Ideas