![]() Instead of a well, egress doors usually have a staircase or ramp on the outside. Egress DoorsĪn egress door is much like an egress window, except that it is designed for more regular use as an entrance and exit. Egress windows also take up less ground space than egress doors, so they’re the preferred type of egress in space-restricted areas. An egress window is most appropriate for basement bedrooms since they don’t usually need direct access to the outside. Unlike egress doors, egress windows are designed to be used only in emergencies. As a result, egress windows also have a rigid structure that holds the dirt back from the window, called an egress well. It’s important to keep dirt, debris, and water from collecting in this hole, as those would create an obstacle in the case of an emergency. ![]() On the exterior side of the window is a vertical hole that extends from the bottom of the window up to ground-level height. In a basement, an egress window sits mostly underground. ![]() Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the two. What’s the difference between egress windows and doors?Īlthough egress windows are more common than egress doors, either one can be an effective choice depending on the needs of your basement. At 60% of the main floor’s value, a 900-square-foot basement would be worth $204 per square foot and add $184,000 in value to the home. So, if a 1,600 square foot home is worth $545,000 without a finished basement, that’s $341 per square foot. Legally, that basement would not count as living space, so your home’s legal square footage would be 1,600 square feet.Īs a general rule of thumb, a finished basement adds about 50-60% of the main floor’s value per square foot to the home. In other words, let’s say you have a home with 2,500 square feet including a 30’x30’ unfinished basement. This matters because unfinished basements don’t count towards your home’s official square footage. So why do people choose to add egresses to their basement? Oftentimes, it has to deal with home value.Īn unfinished basement is a basement that does not meet the requirements to be considered “legal living space.” You can still use an unfinished basement however you want to, but it doesn’t count as living space. Keep in mind – only finished basements need to have an egress. Guide to egress window dimensions from the City of Portland. Have a path to the outside clear of any obstructions.Measure at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches tall.Have an opening of at least 5.7 square feet.To meet construction code requirements, a basement egress must: A firefighter should also be able to easily climb down into the basement if necessary. The dimension requirements for a basement egress ensure that a person can easily escape through the opening. This is why basement egresses are in a particular category of their own.īy law, a finished basement must have at least one egress for escape in case of a fire. However, because basements are underground, it takes more planning and labor to create an egress to a basement. Most doors and windows larger than 5.7 square feet are considered egresses. There can be egresses on any floor of a home. However, an egress is by definition any opening through which you can exit a building. Most likely, you’ve heard the word “egress” associated closely with basements. What an egress is and why it is important.By the time you finish reading, you should be able to identify why your basement needs an egress, where in your home any egresses should go, and what the installation process looks like. This article will discuss several factors involved in adding a basement egress to your home. ![]() Although it may initially seem complicated, adding an egress can be easy if you have a good design plan. Oftentimes, part of this process involves adding a basement egress (or several) to meet safety standards. has worked with several Portland-area homeowners to help them turn their basement into liveable space. Fortunately, adding an egress window or door to an existing basement is a simple and relatively common project. You want to have your basement legally designated as a living space, but to do that, fire safety code requires that you have means of egress in specific areas. ![]()
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