"user" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 22:29:17 GMT, Tim Scott
wrote:
I think it will. When adding the egress you turn the basement into
"livable
space" and thus can be claimed as square footage when reselling the
house.

Uh, no. Around here in Upstate NY, at least, below-grade space is not
counted,
even if it's code-compliant and inspected, as is mine. And that's
according
to both my local building office and the realtors. At best you can
advertise
it as having a "finished basement".

- Rich


Just a suggestion: Install a window that has good safety features. We
didn't and those are the windows that freak me out the most. Someone could
just hop down into them and take their time breaking in. I've since taken
care of it but wish I'd invested better.

It depends on the local code, but everyone knows even if code prohibits
listing below-grade space in the sq footage, your resell value will be
higher with a finished basement than without. Here, to be able to be listed
as a bedroom, a room must have its own closet, a closeable door, four or
more walls and an egress window. There are also dimensional
requirements...sq ft minimums and ceiling height.

Interestingly, all that's required for a space to be listed as a bathroom
here is that it have a toilet in it. I recently saw the smallest "bathroom"
in the world! Remember the toilets in kindergarten? Smaller than that.