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Remodeling Design Dilemma Basements

What type of egress is best for our situation?

2 years ago

We purchased a home in Rhode Island as a vacation home and also for renting. The basement was finished for their son to live in. There is a living area, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom and another small room with a double closet that can also be used as a bedroom. However in order to rent it as two bedrooms in the basement, we need another egress. The only light in that room comes from a cellar window. If we use a bulkhead as egress, there will be no light in the room. I don't like the idea of the window egress (or funnel as some call it) due to rain and snow collecting in the well. What suggestions do you have for us and who do you recommend to do the work. The house is in North Kingstown, RI. We are trying to keep the cost reasonable but not have an eyesore either.

Comments (3)

3onthetree
2 years ago
There is a lack of info given, and maybe some misinformation, on what you have to do. A good assumption is the basement was finished without permits. Often, a second full kitchen is not allowed in a single family house under most zoning classifications.

Basements need 1 egress - meaning a way to exit the house walking while standing up. This is accomplished by walking up the stairs and exiting the front door. If you intend to close off access to the basement as a separate rental from upstairs, then you need to add a door to the basement.

Any sleeping rooms require an emergency escape and rescue window - meaning a large opening to crawl out of, or for emergency personnel to come into the room, when the egress route is blocked. Now there are some exceptions to this requirement, but noting how it was probably not permitted initially and changing occupancy from storage to a habitable unit means you will need windows in both bedrooms.

There are also some light and ventilation requirements for living spaces. Again, there are exceptions to this requirement, but typically providing the right mechanical ventilation to get around adding windows is more complicated and doesn't lead to a well-received living space that has no windows.
acm
2 years ago
There are plenty of egress wells that allow lots of light, and most can have a plexiglass cover to keep water out. It all depends on the space available on that part of the house.

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As you can see, if you must use a precast well, you can get a cover, but if you have a deeper footprint available, you can do more natural foundation drainage.
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worthy
2 years ago
If we use a bulkhead as egress, there will be no light in the room

A bulkhead is a wall.

As mentioned above, the kitchen and using/renting the basement as a separate apartment may not be a legal use. Check with the authority having jurisdiction, usually the buildings department, about the restrictions and requirements.

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