Egress Window Installation in Asheville, NC
The window that makes a basement bedroom legal - cut, framed, waterproofed and drained so it does not become the room's new water problem.
Egress windows typically run $4,500 to $12,000 installed. Free estimate.
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Not optional, and not a DIY opening
Any basement sleeping room needs a code-compliant egress window or exterior door. In North Carolina that means a minimum clear opening area, a minimum clear width and height, and a sill height a person can actually get out of – plus a window well large enough to climb into with a ladder or steps when it is deep.
Cutting a new opening in a concrete or block foundation wall is structural work. The opening needs a lintel, the cut has to be clean and square, and the exterior excavation has to be backfilled and drained so the well does not fill with water in the first heavy rain.
What the job includes
- Excavation outside the foundation wall
- Saw-cutting the opening in concrete or block, with a lintel installed above
- Framed and waterproofed opening with the window set and flashed
- Window well sized to code, anchored to the wall, with steps or a ladder where depth requires
- Well drain tied into the footing drain or a gravel sump, so the well empties
- Grate or cover, backfill, grading away from the house, interior finish and trim
Where it goes wrong
Two failures account for most of the calls we get. The well has no drain, so it holds water against the new window until it comes inside. And the grade around the well slopes toward it, which turns the well into a collection basin. Both are cheap to do right during installation and expensive to correct afterward.
Timeline and cost
Two to five days on site. Installed cost generally $4,500 to $12,000 depending on wall material, depth of excavation, well size and whether a drain has to be run to daylight or a sump.
We install in Asheville, Hendersonville, Arden, Candler, Fletcher, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Mills River, Brevard and Waynesville.
How the project runs
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01
Assessment
Wall material, depth, drainage path and where the opening can go structurally.
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02
Permit and scope
Permit pulled, opening size and well detail specified.
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03
Install
Excavation, cut and lintel, window set and flashed, well and drain, backfill and grading.
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04
Finish
Interior trim, inspection, two-year workmanship warranty.
Why homeowners choose Big Hills
- Licensed NC general contractorBuilding in Western North Carolina since 2018, 150 homes delivered.
- One crew, start to finishIn-house carpenters and site supervisor instead of a chain of subs you never meet.
- Fixed written scopeYou approve selections and the number before demo day, so the budget holds.
- 2-year workmanship warrantyThe same warranty we put behind the homes we build from the ground up.
Frequently asked questions
What does an egress window cost?
Usually $4,500 to $12,000 installed. Concrete walls, deep excavation, large wells and a long drain run push toward the top.
Do I really need one for a basement bedroom?
Yes. Any room used for sleeping needs a code-compliant egress opening. It also matters at resale - a bedroom without egress cannot legally be listed as one.
Will the window well fill with water?
Not if it is drained and the grade slopes away. We tie the well to the footing drain or a gravel sump. Wells that flood were installed without either.
Can you cut through a concrete foundation?
Yes, with saw-cutting and a lintel above the opening. It is routine structural work when done by people who do it regularly, and it is permitted and inspected.
Get a free in-home estimate
Tell us about the project. We walk the space, talk through scope and materials, and send a written estimate — no charge, no pressure.