"charlie hagen" wrote in message
.net...
Hello,

My wife is having me look into finishing our basement. One thing she
wants
is a guest room. The basement windows that exist now are way too small
and
I'm checking out egress windows. So, having no experience replacing
windows, but lots of experience do-it-myselfing, I have a couple of
questions:

1. what's the diff between the 'egress windows' I read about in basement
remodeling articles/books and regular casement windows? I'm not finding
much information at the local mega-home-improvement-shop.

2. Should I be looking for anything special in selecting a window for
this
purpose?

and,

3. Any recomendations from the general viewing audience?

Egress window, as the name implies, means you should be able to egress the
space through the window. Most regular windows don't open a big enough hole
for that, so egress windows are usually tall horizontal sliders. But they
don't have to be. Any window that provides a big enough hole for an adult to
step through would probably pass code. Think 2/3 scale sliding door. Your
local code office can provide the exact dimensions. And since it is
installled below grade, you want a rot-proof frame. The hardest parts will
be cutting the hole in the basement wall bigger, and providing the stepup or
platform inside, and the enlarged (preferably stepped) window well outside.

The big-box place is probably the wrong place to go for advice. The local
precast concrete place that sells pre-made window-well boxes, or the
concrete sawing company that you will want to make the hole bigger and redo
the lintel above, can both probably hook you up with a brand name and part
number to order, and tell you what local inspectors like to see. If you have
never done concrete work, I'd hire the whole window mod out, personally.
Experience and the right tools make a big difference. And if your yard is
big enough to spare the space, and you are digging holes anyway, I'd dig one
deep enough for an actual exterior door to the basement, and a long window
well to add several daylight windows. Natural light makes a basement a lot
more inviting.

aem sends...