fairfaxgc

Has anybody dealt with this issue?

We are designing an attached garage to replace the carport in the attached picture. The Ho wants to keep the basement windows and wells but local code requires all openings to be fire rated. The easy fix is to remove the windows and close them off; however, we would like to accomodate the client of possible.

We are planning a 4" high cement curb around the wells to prevent potential gas fumes from entering the wells.

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JonM

Glass block

DavidC

Start with why does the client want the window and what is the extra budget to cover costs.

Good Luck
Dave

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OK, rant if you must. For the love of Pete, use paragraphs and spell check.

fairfaxgc

The extra cost is not an issue up to about $4-5K. The existing basement is only under half the house and is being used as a home office. This is the only window in that space.

When the basement was finished, they modern egress laws were not yet in place thus the standard sized (fixed) window was left as is. The owner is looking for an operable glider rather than the fixed. Before we steered him towards covering the window up, I wanted to exhaust my options.

Panzer5

I presume from the photo that the door mat is sitting on the carport & that the garage will encompass both the concrete steps & the existing window.

If that's correct - what about relocating the window to the far side (where the plants are) - which would give them an egress window (which I assume is required by code for rooms that could be considered a bedroom) - which, as a selling point would allow the homeowner to advertise the house (when they sell) as having another bedroom - even though they use it as an office?

Leaving the window in place & opening into the new garage seems inefficient & will defeat their desire for natural light anyway...

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Scott (the ex-grunt-tanker-jarhead guy)

fairfaxgc

Interesting idea. The new garage will extend 1' in front of the brick wall pictured. An egress well would hide nicely in the corner behind a bush.

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