There are numerous reasons to install a basement egress window – like allowing more light into a dark and dank atmosphere, but especially creating a safe escape route for fire and other emergencies. However, egress windows (especially the basement bedroom ones) have regulations that need to be met; it’s a good idea to work with a basement egress window contractor who has a better grasp of all the building codes.
If you are thinking about renovating your home and adding some more room in the form of expanding your basement, you may have come across the fire safety rules for egress windows. Egress windows can be a skylight, patio window or door that’s big enough for you to escape through or for emergency service to enter through. Building Code requires bedrooms and basement rooms below the fourth story of any home to have one or more “rescue opening and emergency escape.”
But other than the safety concerns, egress windows are also crucial as they allow light to come in, serve as high-quality basement ventilators, enhance the aesthetics of a home, aid in waterproofing the basement and add instant value to your home. But in order to realize all those benefits, you have to let a basement egress window contractor do the work for you. They are not experts at the installation work; they also have a full understanding of the building codes of your city.
With that in mind, here are some tips and ideas when hiring a basement egress window expert:
Experience: first and foremost, you want to find an experienced contractor who has mastery of the work; otherwise, you’d be better off doing the work yourself. Experience is an essential element in a contractor because this is what sets their work apart from novices and other contractors in the market.
Success cases: the good thing about egress windows installation is that you can tell the difference by looking at the before and after images. So, instead of taking the contractors word, you can have them show you their past work, to have a feel of what you should expect.
Industry reputation: you need to dig deeper to find out what other people are saying about the contractor in question. And don’t just stick to the customer testimonials on their website – take your search a notch higher and browse through sites like Angie’s List, Yelp, Facebook, Pinterest and so on. There is got to be something good or bad about the contractor, and that’s what you want to find out.
Location: although you can work with a contractor from virtually any place, it’s an added advantage if they live close by. This way, you’ll have an easy time in case something goes wrong with the installation. It will also save you on additional costs.
Cost: Unless you live in a bubble, you will want to find out how much the contractor charges before signing the dotted lines. However, a quick tip is that you should not focus on cost alone. Ensure that the contractor checks in all other categories before shifting your focus to cost.
Conclusion
Installing an egress window in your basement is a worthwhile investment. And considering the value it adds to your life and property, you should let an expert complete the task for you.