Basement egress window installation
Start-to-finish work for a new escape opening where the foundation has a small window or none at all.
Lots of Minot basements were built with a few short windows near the top of the wall, or with solid concrete on the side where you'd want a bedroom. A new egress installation cuts a full-size opening, sets a window that opens wide enough to climb through, and adds a well with room to stand up and get out.
What does the installer do?
- Measures from inside to find a spot clear of the beam, ductwork, drain lines and electrical
- Checks outside for the gas meter, AC unit, deck posts, driveway and property line
- Has buried utilities marked before any digging
- Excavates for the well and protects the lawn and landscaping
- Cuts poured concrete with a diamond saw or removes block and fills the cores
- Adds a header or reinforcement where the wall needs it
- Sets, shims, seals and insulates the window
- Anchors the well, adds drain rock and a ladder if the well is deep
- Backfills, grades the soil away from the house and trims the inside opening
Does the ground in my part of Minot matter?
Yes. The North Dakota Geological Survey's surface geology map of the Minot quadrangle shows the valley floor made of river-laid sand, gravel, silt and clay, often more than 100 feet thick, while the uplands are mostly dark, clay-rich glacial till. It also maps old landslide deposits on parts of the valley sides. Sandy valley soil can cave as it's dug. Heavy till holds its shape but drains slowly, which matters for what goes under the well. Ask the installer how they plan to dig and drain on your lot.
Which window should I pick?
| Window type | How it opens | What it means for egress |
|---|---|---|
| Casement | Swings out on side hinges | Almost the whole frame opens, so it needs the smallest cut |
| Horizontal slider | One sash slides over | About half opens, so the frame must be wider |
| Single hung | Lower sash lifts | About half opens, so the frame must be taller |
A casement swinging out into the well needs enough well depth from the wall for the sash to open fully. Minot's handout says the well has to allow that.
What drives the price?
- Poured or block wall, and how thick it is
- How far below grade the sill ends up
- Window type, size and glass package
- Well material, size and whether a ladder is required
- Decks, steps, sidewalks or meters in the way
- How much interior finish work is included
We don't give prices. Each installer prices the job after measuring the wall, checking the soil and seeing what sits outside that part of the foundation, so a number over the phone is only a ballpark until then.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How long will the job take?
A single window is often a one- or two-day job on site, depending on the wall, the digging and the weather. The installer can give you a schedule with the quote.
Can egress windows go in during winter?
Some installers dig and cut in winter, but frozen ground slows excavation. Ask the installer what they do in cold months and how they protect the open wall.
Related services
- Basement window enlargement
- Window wells and ladders
- Window well covers
- Basement bedroom egress compliance
More background: Minot egress window guide.
Need a basement bedroom that passes inspection?
Call and a Minot-area egress installer will look at the wall and the yard, explain what the code asks for, and quote the job.