Egress Window Installation

If your basement has bedrooms — or you’re planning to add them — egress windows aren’t optional. Utah follows the International Residential Code, which requires an egress window in every sleeping room. It’s a life-safety requirement that provides an emergency escape route if the interior stairs are blocked by fire.

Beyond code compliance, egress windows transform dark basement rooms. They flood the space with natural light, provide fresh air ventilation, and make below-grade rooms feel less like basements and more like normal living spaces.

Utah Basement Finishing has installed hundreds of egress windows across Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber counties. We handle everything — foundation cutting, excavation, window installation, window well construction, drainage, and finish work. One crew, one project, done right.

What We Offer

Complete Egress Window Installation

• Foundation cutting — precision diamond-blade cutting through poured concrete or concrete block foundation walls. Clean cuts with no cracking or structural compromise
• Excavation — digging the window well area to proper depth and width, with room for the required well dimensions
• Window well installation — corrugated steel, composite, or precast concrete wells. Standard semicircular or oversized rectangular wells available
• Egress window — vinyl or fiberglass window unit sized to meet IRC minimum opening requirements. Casement-style windows (crank-out) are most popular because they provide maximum opening area
• Window well cover — clear polycarbonate cover that lets in light while keeping out rain, snow, debris, and children. Load-rated to support foot traffic
• Window well drainage — gravel bed at the bottom of the well connected to a French drain or daylight drain. In areas with high water tables, we add a window well drain tied to the perimeter drain system
• Interior finish — drywall returns around the new window, trim, and paint to match the room
• Waterproofing — membrane applied between the window frame and foundation to prevent water intrusion

Code Requirements (IRC)

Every egress window in Utah must meet these minimums:

• Minimum net clear opening area: 5.7 square feet
• Minimum net clear opening width: 20 inches
• Minimum net clear opening height: 24 inches
• Maximum sill height: 44 inches above the finished floor
• Window well: If the bottom of the well is more than 44 inches below grade, the well must have a permanently attached ladder or steps

Most casement windows need to be at least 36″ x 24″ (opening size, not frame size) to meet the 5.7 square foot requirement. We verify exact dimensions based on the specific window manufacturer’s specs.

Window Well Options

• Standard corrugated steel — galvanized steel, semicircular shape. Most affordable, functional, and code-compliant. Available in various depths (36″, 48″, 60″)
• Composite/fiberglass wells — Rockwell, Monarch, or Bilco brand. More attractive than steel, available in earth tones, won’t rust. Modular design allows custom depths
• Precast concrete block wells — stacked concrete blocks with a natural stone look. Premium option that blends with landscaping
• Oversized wells — wider and deeper than minimum, allowing more light and a less claustrophobic feel. We recommend oversizing whenever lot conditions allow

Egress Window Styles

• Casement (crank-out) — our default recommendation. Single hinge on one side, opens fully for maximum clear opening. Easiest to use in an emergency
• Sliding — two-panel horizontal slider. Requires a larger frame to achieve the same opening area as a casement
• In-swing hopper — hinged at the bottom, opens inward. Works well in tight exterior situations but takes up interior space when open

Our Process

Step 1: Site Assessment

We inspect the foundation wall (thickness, material, condition), check exterior conditions (soil type, grade, landscaping, underground utilities), and verify the proposed location meets code requirements for the interior room.

Step 2: Utility Locate and Permits

We call Blue Stakes (Utah’s 811 service) to mark underground utilities before any digging. We submit for building permits — egress window installation requires a permit in all Utah municipalities.

Step 3: Installation

Exterior excavation → foundation cutting → window frame installation → window well placement → drainage system → waterproofing → backfill → interior finishing. A single egress window installation takes 2-3 days. Multiple windows are typically completed within a week.

Step 4: Inspection

The building inspector verifies window opening dimensions, sill height, well depth, ladder (if required), and drainage. We schedule and attend the inspection.

Cost Range

Factors that increase cost:

• Rocky soil — common in bench areas of Sandy, Draper, Cottonwood Heights, and along the Wasatch foothills. Rock excavation adds $500–$2,000 per window
• Deep excavation — deeper wells (for below-grade rooms with low floor-to-grade height) require more digging and larger wells
• Concrete block foundations — cutting through CMU block requires different techniques than poured concrete
• Landscaping restoration — if the well is in a landscaped area, restoring plants, sod, or hardscape adds cost
• Window well drain to daylight — running a drain line to a lower-grade area for drainage adds $500–$1,500

Why Choose Us for Egress Windows

• Hundreds installed — we’ve cut through every type of foundation wall in Utah and dealt with every soil condition from sandy loam to solid rock
• Structural integrity — foundation cutting must be done correctly to avoid compromising the wall. We use engineered headers and proper sizing to maintain structural load paths
• Waterproofing expertise — the junction between a new window and an existing foundation is a potential water intrusion point. We use flashing membranes, sealants, and drainage systems to prevent leaks
• Code knowledge — we know the exact IRC requirements and verify every installation meets them before calling for inspection
• Clean work — foundation cutting generates concrete dust and debris. We contain it with dust barriers and leave your basement clean

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an egress window if the room isn’t a bedroom? Egress windows are required in sleeping rooms (bedrooms). Living rooms, offices, and family rooms don’t require egress windows by code. However, many homeowners add them anyway for the natural light and ventilation — and it future-proofs the room in case you or a future owner wants to use it as a bedroom.

Can you install an egress window in a concrete block foundation? Yes. We cut through CMU (concrete masonry unit) block foundations regularly. The process involves cutting the block, installing a steel lintel above the opening for structural support, and framing the window within the new opening. Slightly more involved than poured concrete, but a routine installation for us.

What if there’s a utility line where I want the window? We work around utilities. Gas lines, water lines, and electrical conduit can often be rerouted to accommodate a window. Sewer laterals are more difficult to move. During the site assessment, we identify any conflicts and plan accordingly — sometimes shifting the window location by a few feet solves the problem.

How much light does an egress window let in? Significantly more than a standard basement window. A code-minimum egress window is 5.7 square feet of opening — the window frame itself is even larger. Combined with a light-colored well liner and a clear cover, it’s comparable to a small first-floor window. Oversized wells amplify the effect.

Will an egress window affect my foundation’s structural integrity? Not when installed correctly. We size the opening properly, install engineered steel lintels above the cut to transfer the load around the opening, and ensure the remaining foundation wall retains its structural capacity. We’ve installed hundreds without a single structural issue.

How do you prevent water from coming in through the window well? Three layers of protection: (1) a gravel drainage bed at the bottom of the well — typically 6-12 inches of washed gravel over a drain pipe; (2) waterproofing membrane between the window frame and foundation wall; and (3) a window well cover that deflects rain and snow. In high-water-table areas, we connect the well drain to the home’s perimeter drainage system or a dedicated sump.

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Add light and safety to your basement. Call 801-515-3473 for a free egress window consultation.

Utah Basement Finishing — 369 E 900 S #235, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 | Mon–Sat 8am–6pm