Egress Window Installation in Issaquah, Bellevue & Sammamish
An egress window is the one a person can climb out of, and the one a firefighter can climb in through. Any room used as a bedroom needs one. That is the whole idea — everything else is detail.
What makes a window an egress window
Four numbers, from the 2021 Washington State Residential Code:
- 5.7 square feet of net clear opening — 5.0 square feet if the window is at grade level
- 24 inches minimum clear opening height
- 20 inches minimum clear opening width
- 44 inches maximum sill height above the finished floor
Net clear opening means the hole you can actually climb through with the sash open — not the size of the window. A large window with a small opening can still fail. A casement that swings fully clear often passes where a slider of the same size does not.
Your basement window is probably smaller than that. You probably do not have to cut the wall.
This is the part most homeowners are never told, and it is the difference between a window job and a construction project.
Washington exempts replacement windows from the egress sizing rules, provided the replacement is the manufacturer’s largest standard size that fits the existing opening, it is the same operating style or one that opens wider, and the room’s use is not changing. That is WAC 51-51-4502, section R4502.5.4.
So if you are replacing a tired basement window in a room that is already a bedroom, the opening usually stays as it is. We fit the largest unit the opening will take and the job is done in a day.
Read the code detail, cited to the source →
When the opening does have to be enlarged
Two situations change the answer:
- You are converting the space into a bedroom. A change of use means the exemption no longer applies and the opening has to meet the full requirement.
- There is no window there at all. A finished basement room with no opening needs one cut.
That is structural work — cutting the wall, setting a header, framing the new opening, and usually excavating for a window well. We do that work ourselves rather than handing you to a second contractor, which is the part most window companies do not offer.
Window wells are part of the egress, not an accessory
Below grade, the well is what makes the window usable in an emergency. It has to be large enough to open the window fully and climb out, drained so it does not fill with water, and fitted with a permanent ladder or steps where it is deep. Any cover or grate has to open from the inside without tools, keys or special knowledge.
A well that is too small, or that ponds every winter, is the most common reason an otherwise correct egress window does not do its job.
Permits
Enlarging an opening or creating a new one needs a permit — King County publishes exactly that. Replacing a window with one the same size is treated differently depending on the jurisdiction, so we check with the permit office for your address rather than guessing, and we pull the permit as part of the job.
What it costs
Price moves with the work, not the window. Fitting the largest standard unit into a sound existing opening is the simplest version of the job. Cutting a new opening means framing, often a well and drainage, and interior finishing afterwards — and it costs accordingly.
You get an exact number at the consultation, with no obligation. Financing is available.
Where we work
Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Bothell, Kirkland, Woodinville, Snoqualmie and the surrounding communities. See all service areas →
Get a free quote or call (425) 526-6810.
Frequently asked questions
Does my basement bedroom legally need an egress window?
Yes. Any room used for sleeping needs an emergency escape and rescue opening. That holds whether the room was built as a bedroom or converted into one later, and it is the requirement an appraiser or inspector will check when the house sells.
My basement window is too small. Do I have to make the opening bigger?
Usually not. Washington exempts replacement windows from the egress sizing rules when the replacement is the manufacturer’s largest standard size that fits the existing opening, it opens at least as wide as what was there, and the room’s use is not changing. If you are converting the space into a bedroom, that exemption does not apply and the opening has to be enlarged.
Do you cut the opening, or do I need a separate contractor?
We do it. Cutting the wall, setting the header, framing the opening and installing the window are one job with one crew, and we handle the window well and drainage where the opening is below grade.
How much does an egress window cost?
The window is the smaller part of the number. A straight replacement into an existing opening is the least expensive version. Cutting a new opening adds framing, excavation, a window well and interior finishing. Depth below grade, soil, access and whether the wall is wood framed or concrete all move the figure, which is why we look at it before quoting.
Does an egress window need a window well?
If the bottom of the opening sits below ground level, yes. The well has to give enough room to open the window and climb out, it has to drain, and if it is deep it needs a permanent ladder or steps.
Do I need a permit for an egress window?
Enlarging an opening or cutting a new one needs a permit. A like-for-like replacement is treated differently from one jurisdiction to the next, so we confirm with the permit office for your address before the work starts, and we pull the permit.
Replacement windows in Washington have to meet a U-factor of 0.30 or better, and egress openings are governed by a separate section of the residential code. What the code requires →
