Your Basement Bedroom Needs an Egress Window. The Code Says So.
If anyone sleeps in your basement, the building code (IRC R310) says that room needs a way out besides the stairs. That means an egress window: big enough for a person to climb through, low enough to reach from the floor, and opening to a window well you can get out of. Most small basement windows fail every one of those tests. They are for light, not for escape.
Fairfax Egress Window installs egress windows that meet the code minimums: at least 5.7 square feet of clear opening (5.0 at grade level), at least 20 inches wide, at least 24 inches tall, and a sill no more than 44 inches above the floor. When the well is deeper than 44 inches, we add the ladder the code requires. We measure twice, cut once, and set every window to pass inspection.
What an Egress Window Job Actually Involves
Most of our work is egress window installation — cutting a code-sized opening in your foundation wall, setting the window, and building the window well outside. It is real concrete work, and it takes a crew that does it every week. A finished job gives you three things: a legal sleeping room, natural light in a basement that used to be dark, and a second way out in a fire.
We also handle the parts people forget: well drainage so the well does not become a pond, covers that keep kids, pets, and leaves out while letting light in, and replacement of old egress windows that no longer open or no longer meet code.
Why Homeowners Call Us
Three reasons, in order. Safety. A basement bedroom without an egress window is a room with one way out — up the stairs, through the fire. The code. Fairfax County requires egress in basement sleeping rooms, and an illegal bedroom can stall a home sale when the inspector or appraiser flags it. Light and value. A code-sized window turns a cave into a room — brighter, more livable, and worth more when you sell.
Our code guide walks through every minimum in plain English. Our cost guide explains what moves the price. And every job starts with a free on-site visit and a written estimate.
How It Works
1. You reach out. Call or send the form. Tell us which room needs the window.
2. We visit, free. We measure the wall, check the outside grade, look at drainage, and confirm what the code requires for your room.
3. You get a written estimate. Clear pricing for the window, the well, drainage, and the cover. No surprises.
4. We do the work. Most installs take one to two days. We cut clean, haul the concrete, and leave the basement cleaner than we found it.
Serving All of Fairfax County
From Fairfax and Vienna to McLean, Reston, Burke, and Springfield — we cover the whole county. See the full list on our service area page.
Call (301) 679-9193 or send the form below for your free written estimate.