Is a basement window necessary?

hsh2012

5 years ago

Hi there
In the East Coast, basements are common. During the design phase of my basement (in our new construction home), we were not planning on finishing the basement right away and didn’t focus on it too much. Now that the architect plans are complete, we are thinking of finishing the basement and realized we didn’t have windows down there. The only logical side of the house where the windows could be placed is on the right side where the media room is. However, logically speaking architect doesn’t think it makes sense to have windows in a media room and thus the whole basement needs to be reconfigured again. The reason why we can’t put windows in the top horizontal part of the floor plan is because there will be a deck there. And the reason why we can’t put it in the bottom horizontal part of the floor plan is because we will have a front porch. So our window placement options are quite limited. Part of the reason why we wanted windows is to allow for more natural light and not feel like we are in a cave. The other reason is for resale, if down the line someone might want to put a BR down there. Do you think it will affect our resale not having windows in the basement? It will cost us money to reconfigure the plans again. Is it worth spending more money to change everything? If so, do you have suggestions on floor plan layout? Thanks!

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Comments (9)

SJ E
5 years ago
I would absolutely want windows in the basement for egress if the space is designed for daily use.
Architectural Notice
5 years ago
I agree with the comment above that you need windows in a basement. What if there was a fire that blocked the stairs? You need a means of escape.
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Sammy
5 years ago
So there’s no means of escape for you if you’re in the basement while a fire is engulfing the upper floors?
Jacqui Naud
5 years ago
You need to check the building codes for your area. Most require an egress window for each room in the basement.
hsh2012
Original Author
5 years ago
Egress is required only if you plan on putting a bedroom down there. If no plans for a BR, it’s not necessary. However I do see you point about the fire situation. Thanks!
julieste
5 years ago
Also, you never know if you or a future owner might choose to convert part of the space to a bedroom.

We added an egress window to our basement and made one area a quasi bedroom because we have a daybed in there that opens out to a king bed. It is only used maybe once a year for bedroom purposes and is used for other purposes the rest of the time. We have a 6' opening that closes off this room with double pocket doors. We leave the doors open 99% of the time because it adjoins another seating area.
mle0782
5 years ago
If you are in the planning stages and thinking of redesigning , have you considered a walk-out? It will be more costly than egress windows but can make a basement really more functional (ie; furnaces,freezers etc) and for some (like my husband) was a big selling point. In our municipality, a walk out is acceptable in lieu of egress windows for a bedroom so check with city hall.
hsh2012
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone for your input. I had asked the architect what most people are doing with their basements for new construction and he said it’s a mix of both. So if there is anyone out there that is in the camp of not having windows, I would like to understand why. Thanks!
Nancy R Chicagoland 5
5 years ago
It seems like even small basement windows make a big psychological difference. I went to an open house for a small older house on my block that had been renovated. The sellers had created a new family room in the basement. It was nicely finished, but the room had no windows and somehow it just didn't feel right. You could always cover a window in your media room to make it dark in there.