Its becoming more common around the country for customers to be installing egress windows in their basements. National code has been in effect for years requiring an egress window for safety measures for you and your family. Most recently in the past few years we have noticed a rise in egress window installations due to the fact that local building departments have been forcing them more and violations are being issued to customers that dont have one. These violations mostly come up when buying/selling a home, finishing basement or refinancing forcing the customer to install one in a timely matter before you can sell or do any other work to your basement.
Why you might need an egress window installed:
Buying/selling your home
Finishing your basement
Need more light and ventilation in your basement
Safety reasons to protect you and your family
Peace in mind
Most of customers we experience wait until they are selling their home to install an egress window which holds up the closing process on both ends of the buyer/seller. Once installed every customer realizes the benefits and wishes they had installed one sooner. Its usually a 2-5 installation process that is done 90% from the exterior of your home limiting any distraction to your life and home.
Benefits of adding an egress window:
Added safety as a fire escape in the time of need
Better ventilation for your basement
More added light
Better access for larger items to enter your basement from outside
Helps with mold and mildew issues every basement experiences
When buying/selling your home like mentioned before, brings up last minute violations that brings nothing but last minute aggravation. Pre planning your egress window project will eliminate this and save you money without paying for extra violation costs that you local building department may require.
What to expect when installing a window in violation:
Closing process held up
Have to issue a building permit
Some building departments require engineered plans drawn up for basement floor plan
Extra permit fees
Electrical inspection
Proof of insurance from your contractor
Approval from the board for work to comence in some condo complexes
Egress windows have national code requirements that must be met before and during the installation. Choosing a good contractor that is familiar with these codes is key for an easy and painless installation process. The right equipment is necessary to do the project with the proper machines that will not ruin your property during the process.
Window well must be 9 square feet inside dimensions
Window well must not exceed 44" without adding a ladder
Window must have 22" net clearing
WMB Constructionhas been performing egress window installations for years in the Hudson Valley NY region. Contact today to set up your free estimate and we will come out and evaluate and price your project.
Check out our videos on some of out finished products
Winter not too far away and its time to start thinking about how you will get out of your home/business when the storms strike. Here in Orange County, NY we can experience some of the most brutal storms in the country. Mostly we are always on target for the well known Nor' Easters that paralyze our area for days at a time. It is always good to preplan and line up a good snowplowing contractor so you are not left out in the cold this winter, literally.
Whether you own a business or a home, snowplowing is a must to ensure you can stay open for business or leave for work in the case of snow. Now for most of us snow is nothing more than a nuisance and most people feel moving snow is a brainless job. The concept is pretty basic but for a professional company comes a lot of thought and preparation for winters around here way before any snow falls. Early preparation and equipment inspections are crucial to maintaining a reliable fleet that will be able to withstand the forces of nature when it hits.
Your home is most definetly your biggest investment you have in your life, besides your family that is! With that being said, I'm sure you want to protect it just like you would your family. Your roof is the most important part of your home and without it you would have no protection from the elements of mother nature. A very common saying is "At least I have a roof over my head" and there's a lot of truth to that! So what I'm getting at is that here in the northeast we have some pretty brutal weather, especially in the winter. A good roof is a necessity in these parts!
WMB Construction, located in Monroe, NY specializes in helping homeowners bullet proof their roofs from the harsh weather we experience. A basic roof needs many ailments to make it a quality roof that will stand up and last for years.
What does your roof need?:
Ice dam installed
30 year architectural shingles installed
Ridge vents
Soffit vents
Drip edge
A reputable roofing contractor to professionally install your new roof
Now, what people dont about their roof will boggle you! We all pay high cost premiums for home insurance. What you don't know is that these companies won't reinburse you if you have a failing roof! It's like having life insurance when you claim you have never smoked and die of lung cancer. Many times insurance companies will call it an act of god!
Be smart in protecting your investment. A poor roof can leave your home worthless and after paying for years, thats bad news to hear! Water damage can do more damage than you can possibly imagine. Most times water damage goes unnoticed for years creating crippling damage to your home, or worse, even your health!
Here in the northeast we can experience some pretty brutal winters that can leave our homes at high risk if you don't have a good roof. The strongest part of your home may be the foundation but without a adequate roof, your home is worthless! Crippling snowstorms are very common in our area and the weight load of snow on our roofs can result in collaspe of your roof, as we have just seen in Buffalo, NY
Another common problem is ice damming. Ice damming occurs when heat loss from your home due to inadequate insulation melts snow and it freezes when it reaches the soffit of your home. As ice forms water backs up under the shingles causing major water damage to the interior of your home.
A poor roof can leave a home with very little value due to the damage it can do. Sometimes the damage can go unnoticed for years until it is too late! Rot and mildew can run rampant if issues aren't corrected quickly and efficiently!
What are the risks of a poor roof?:
Interior water damage
Rotten wood
Dry rot
Mold/mildew
Health problems
Allergies
Termites
Carpenter ants
Roof collapse
With a new roof replacement you want to do it right. New architectural shingles on the market are rated for 30 yrs. Thats a long time but if not installed correctly, roof will fail!!!
Located in New York, WMB Construction takes great pride in building great decks for our customers. In our area here in the Hudson Valley we can easily enjoy three seasons out of our decks. Outdoor living has become extremely popular due to the fact that most of us aren't taking vacations and using the money to create a backyard oasis. With the added value and the comfort of relaxing in your own home you will easily start to see the benefits.
Five key reasons to add a composte deck to your home:
Maintanance free
Added value to home
Added entertaining area
Great closed in area for the little ones
Create great memories year after year with family and friends
Seen here is a deck WMB CONSTRUCTION built in beautiful Monroe, NY 10950. The floor is Timbertech composite twin finish Pacific Walnut flooring. The flooring has been installed using hidden fastners for a nice clean look with no exposed screw heads. Railings are a severe weather rated composite white.Staircase is a fully covered composite with no exposed lumber. Hidden behind is five custom stringers constructed of treated lumber.
In todays fast pace world most of us have little to no time for anything more than work. The small amount of time left in the day you would rather be relaxing and enjoying rather than maintaining your deck. That is why Timbertech composite decking has become so popular around the world due to its low maintainance.
Treated lumber decks are still a popular choice around the world but require yearly maintanance to keep wood from cracking and checking. Over time the flooring and railings will have to be replaced. Usually at this point the floor joists are still in good shape so composite flooring can be installed over your existing deck structure.
Flooring on this deck is Timbertech Pacific Walnut with hidden fasteners. Hidden fasteners leave a beautiful clean look with no screws exposed.
Benefits of Composite decks:
Low maintainance
Added value to home
No splinters
No replacement of flooring in years down the road
No painting/staining
More time to enjoy your deck instead of working on it
Whether composite or treated lumber, a new deck is always a great retreat to your beautiful backyard. Outdoor living has become priority to many and there is no better place than your own home. Vacations can eat up thousands in a week leaving only memories and and an empty pocket. A new deck/backyard enhancement will create value, memories and a lifetime later you will still have your deck.
If you are considering remodeling your basement you will likely find that your town requires the installation of egress windows. Most building codes mandate that egress windows be installed in order to provide an adequate escape route in an emergency situation, such as a fire. Besides adding safety and increasing your home's value, egress windows can greatly increase airflow and light, changing what was once a dark basement into a light, airy living space.
Egress windows are designed to allow people to escape a basement in the event of a fire. Most often, egress windows are installed during a basement renovation in order to comply with local building codes. Many towns have specific measurements that must be met, so it will be necessary to contact your local building-codes office in order to find out exactly what size window you must install in your basement.
Egress windows come in as many varieties as typical windows, with as many different levels of quality and insulation, depending on the manufacturer. But all egress windows are designed to provide a safe escape route in the event of emergency. Most often, they provide about 6 square feet of roughly rectangular window surface. Check with the manufacturer if there is any question of whether a particular window is suitable to be used as an egress window.
Benefits of adding an egress window:
Added safety
More natural light
Ventilation
Creates cleaner basement enviroment and decreases the chances for mold and mildew
Peace in mind that your loved ones will be safe
Added value
Aesthetically, they can change the look and feel of a basement
Subscribe for the latest blogs on new products and up to date information
Egress windows are essentially fire escape windows installed in finished basements. It is a national code that enstates that all finished basements must have a window of 5.7 sq. ft., no more than 44 inches to the sill height and 22 inch clear opening to be able to escape in case of an emergency.
A recent egress window installation byWMB Constructionwhere we removed the sliding glass door, which had water/flooding issues, and installed a window.
Here we closed in the block foundation and added a footing drain to relieve water pressure. Foundation will be tarred and backfilled with lots of 3/4" gravel to keep the water moving.
All parging is complete and window looks like it has always been there. A little paint to match is all the customer needs once concrete has cured. Water issues were corrected to keep this basement dry while also conforming to building codes.
Benefits by installing an egress window:
Added ventilation to your basement
Added natural light which helps prevent growth of mold and mildew
Peace in mind that your loved ones will be protected and safe from harms way
An egress window is a window that is required in specific locations in a dwelling and is intended to provide an emergency means of exiting a dwelling. Windows must meet specific size and requirements to qualify as an egress window.
Subscribe for the latest blogs on new products and up to date information
Egress windows are essentially fire escape windows installed in finished basements. It is a national code that enstates that all finished basements must have a window of 5.7 sq. ft., no more than 44 inches to the sill height and 22 inch clear opening to be able to escape in case of an emergency.
A recent egress window installation byWMB Constructionwhere we removed the sliding glass door, which had water/flooding issues, and installed a window.
Here we closed in the block foundation and added a footing drain to relieve water pressure. Foundation will be tarred and backfilled with lots of 3/4" gravel to keep the water moving.
All parging is complete and window looks like it has always been there. A little paint to match is all the customer needs once concrete has cured. Water issues were corrected to keep this basement dry while also conforming to building codes.
Benefits by installing an egress window:
Added ventilation to your basement
Added natural light which helps prevent growth of mold and mildew
Peace in mind that your loved ones will be protected and safe from harms way
An egress window is a window that is required in specific locations in a dwelling and is intended to provide an emergency means of exiting a dwelling. Windows must meet specific size and requirements to qualify as an egress window.
WHERE ARE EGRESS WINDOWS REQUIRED?
Egress windows are required in every room used for sleeping purposes (bedrooms) on any floor and in basements with habitable space. If you are constructing a new home, the code requires that you put an egress window in each bedroom. It also requires an egress window in the basement if habitablerooms will be finished in the basement. If you install a basement bedroom or bedrooms, an egress window is required in each bedroom. If you have an existing home and you add a sleeping room in an unfinished basement, the code requires that you install an egress window in the sleeping room or rooms.
WHAT ARE SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EGRESS
WINDOW?
An egress window must satisfy four International Residential Code (IRC) criteria:
• Minimum width of opening: 20 in.
• Minimum height of opening: 24 in.
• Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 sq. ft. (5.0 sq. ft. for ground floor).
• Maximum sill height above floor: 44 in
The window must have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft. Net clear opening refers to the actual free and clear space that exists when the window is open. It is not the rough opening size or the glass panel size, but the actual opening a person can crawl through.
The window opening must be operational from the inside without keys or tools. Bars, grilles and grates may be installed over windows but must be operational without tools or keys and still allow the minimum clear opening.
You might assume that a 20-in. by 24-in. window would be acceptable for egress. However, those dimensions would yield a net clear opening of only 3.3 sq. ft. To achieve the required net clear opening of 5.7 sq. ft., a 20-in. wide window would have to be 42 in. high. Likewise, a 24-in. high window would have to be 34 in. wide
Is your home looking old and deteriorated? Does the thought of spending thousands to replace leave you with a pounding headache? The anwser is to save what you have and enhance it with a Benjamin Moore paint upgrade. For a fraction of the cost to replace, you can beautify your home instantly without the mess of a major renovation.
Benefits of painting:
Instant results
Superior protection
Removal of any mold and mildew
Cheaper than replacing
Thousands of colors to choose from
Can change colors at any time as opposed to pre-colored vinyl or composites
Cleaner appearance and smell
This is a project before we started in beautiful Monroe, NY. The appearance was that the staircase was in need of complete replacement. After evaluating the integrity of the staircase I came to the conclusion that the problem was years of mold and mildew build up. This was great news for both me and the customer.
How did WMB Construction enhance the staircase:
Treated all mold and mildew with bleach to kill it
Powerwashed all surfaces
Applied primer where necessary
Glued and nailed loose railing sections
Caulked voids where necessary
Applied two coats of Benjamin Moore exterior grade latex paint to all surfaces
The results are unmatched and within two days, years of damaged had been fixed. With two coats of Benjamin Moore high grade latex paint, all the surfaces have been sealed for years of continued use. Preparation and the use of good quality products is everything when producing a quality finished product!!!
Even after 25 years, fiberglass remains the most advanced material for entryways — able to satisfy both today’s and tomorrow’s homeowners by giving them the look of wood doors and the strength of steel doors, without the compromises of either. In fact, fiberglass doors offer just what homeowners want* — the optimum combination of security, energy efficiency, performance and aesthetics. Therma-Tru not only pioneered the fiberglass door category but we continue to lead the industry.
Benefits of wood doors:
Beautiful wood grain
High end look
Warm feel and touch
Scratches easily fixed
Benefits of steel doors:
Lower maintenance
No cracking or bowing
Less exspensive
Energy efficient
Good insulating value
Secure
Benefits of fiberglass doors:
Lowest maintenace
Resists cracking and denting
Offers smooth or wood grain finishes
Won't rot, deteriorate or rust
Can be painted or stained
Energy efficient
Won't warp, bow or twist
Five times the insulating value of wood
Secure
Therma-Tru offers decorative glass options:
Increase curb appeal and the perceived value of your home
Allow more light into your home
Reflect your personal style
Are offered in impact rated glass options to increase security and protection from severe weather
After looking at all three door choices, fiberglass seems to be the best choice all around. Wood still has the best appearance and steel is right in the middle with economy and insulating values. When remodeling your home with a new door upgrade the options can be endless. Therma-Tru has thousands of different choices and configurations to choose from. Call WMB Construction today for your next door installation!
Your roof is the main component of your home. Let's face it, without a good roof, your home would be unlivable. A poor roof can generate many problems within a home; mold, mildew, allergens, rot, termites, carpenter ants, etc.!!! Most of these issues can go unknown for years until it is too late!!! We tell all of our customers that preventive maintaince is key to a healthy roof and home where ever you live. Years of unknown damage can cost thousands extra in the long run!!!
Benifits of a new roof installation:
Ice shield installed to take away from ice damming problems in the winter.
Aluminum drip edge installed to prevent capillary action of water coming back into your home.
Ridge vent installed to increase ventilation=longer roof life.
Remove any rot from roof deck.
Peace in mind
How do you know your roof is in need of replacement:
Staircase is a fully covered composite with no exposed lumber. Hidden behind is five custom stringers constructed of treated lumber.
Email Article
