Egress Windows
Escape windows and window wells sized to code and cut into your foundation.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you want to do with your basement and which town you're in. We'll call to set up a free on-site quote.
An egress window is a basement window big enough to climb out of in a fire, with a window well outside big enough to stand in. Code requires one for every basement bedroom. Putting one in means digging out the well, cutting a bigger opening in the foundation, and setting the window and well so water drains away. It's often the first step of a basement finish, since a new bedroom can't pass inspection without one.
What's included
- On-site look and a written quote
- Utility locates before any digging
- Excavation for the window well, and haul-off of the soil
- Saw-cutting the foundation opening, and haul-off of the concrete
- The window, sized to your local code
- Window well with drainage at the bottom, a ladder or steps if it's deep, and backfill
- Interior trim around the new opening
The process
- Look and quote. We pick the spot with you, check what's outside the wall and inside the room, and give you a written quote.
- Permit and locates. We apply for the permit and get underground utilities marked.
- Dig and cut. We dig the well hole and saw-cut the foundation opening.
- Set the window and well. The window goes in, then the well, drainage, and backfill.
- Finish and inspect. We trim the opening inside, clean up, and schedule the inspection.
What affects the price
- Wall and depth. The foundation's thickness and how far below grade the opening sits.
- Window size and style. Bigger or higher-end windows cost more.
- Well and cover. Deeper wells need a ladder or steps, and covers add cost.
- Outside access. Decks, patios, AC units, or landscaping in the way add work.
- Inside finish. Trim, drywall returns, and any finished wall to work around.
Questions homeowners ask
- Do I need an egress window if I'm not adding a bedroom?
- Usually not. Under the model building code most cities start from, finishing an existing basement doesn't by itself require a new egress window. Adding a bedroom does. It can still be worth adding one for daylight and a second way out. Your city has the final say, so we check before we plan.
- How big does an egress window have to be?
- Code sets a minimum clear opening, minimum height and width, a maximum sill height above the floor, and a minimum size for the window well. A well past a certain depth also needs a ladder or steps. Sioux Falls adopted the 2024 International Residential Code in 2026 with its own changes, and nearby towns may use different editions. We size each window to the rules where you live.
- Will an egress window leak?
- It shouldn't if the well drains and the ground slopes away from it. The bottom of the well needs a drainage path so rain and snowmelt don't pool against the window. A cover keeps snow and leaves out, but it has to open from inside without tools.
- How much does an egress window cost here?
- Published local data puts Sioux Falls egress window jobs at about $3,000 to $6,400, and national guides land in a similar range. Treat that as an estimate. Depth, foundation, and access set your real number.
Need an egress window? Call (605) 250-3470 or send the form for a free quote.