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Egress Window Installation in Highlands Ranch, CO
Give your Highlands Ranch basement a safe exit and the daylight it has been missing. We install the window and well and work with Douglas County on the permit.
Egress windows in Highlands Ranch
Basement Egress for Highlands Ranch Families
If your Highlands Ranch basement has room for another bedroom, a playroom or a media space, there is one requirement to plan around before anyone sleeps down there. Douglas County’s basement finish guide says egress is required for all finished basements, regardless of when the house was built, and for every basement bedroom. A new or enlarged egress window is usually the most practical way to meet that rule.
Steve Sennett, our owner, has been doing Denver-area egress work since 2004 and brings a family background in windows that spans three generations. We handle the whole job: cutting the foundation, installing the window, setting the well, adding drainage where it is needed and leaving the site tidy.
If your existing window wells are rusting or too narrow, we replace them with steel, stacked-stone, stone-look, Block-Tex or timber terrace wells. Custom grates and covers are available, and we can add a sump pump or drain tap to the well.
Local know-how
Unincorporated Highlands Ranch and the HRCA
Highlands Ranch is not a city. It is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, counted by the Census Bureau as a census-designated place. The Mission Viejo Company bought the land in the late 1970s, and the first homes went up in 1981 near South Broadway. The Highlands Ranch Metro District provides services such as parks, open space and water, but building permits come from Douglas County, so your egress permit is issued by the Douglas County Building Division.
Homes in the community are also subject to the Highlands Ranch Community Association covenant. HRCA’s residential improvement guidelines say any improvement not specifically listed requires review and written approval from its Architectural Review Committee, and that Douglas County permits may be needed separately. The committee must act within 30 days of receiving a complete submittal. We suggest checking with HRCA early so any approval is in hand before your install date.
Permit issued by the Douglas County Building Division
New foundation openings need a stamped structural engineered plan
Ask HRCA whether your project needs ARC approval first
Wells: 9 sq ft area, 36 in projection, ladder past 44 in deep
Engineering & permits
Douglas County Permits for Highlands Ranch Homes
Because Highlands Ranch is unincorporated, egress window permits go through the Douglas County Building Division, which enforces the codes adopted for unincorporated Douglas County and offers inspection scheduling and permit lookups through its Building Online Services. The County’s basement finish guide states that cutting a new opening in an existing basement wall requires a stamped structural engineered plan. We cover that and more. Every job includes a third-party structural engineering detail, an inspection by a certified structural engineering firm and an approval letter, and we pull the building permit for you.
What we do in Highlands Ranch
Our services in Highlands Ranch
Egress window installation
Learn moreTilt & Turn windows
Learn moreWindow well replacement
Learn moreGrates & covers
Learn moreWindow well sump pumps
Learn moreWalkout basements
Learn moreHighlands Ranch questions
Egress windows in Highlands Ranch: FAQ
Who issues egress window permits in Highlands Ranch?
Douglas County does. Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community, so there is no city building department. The Douglas County Building Division handles permits and inspections. The Metro District and the Highlands Ranch Community Association have their own roles, but neither replaces the county permit. We pull that permit for you as part of the job.
Do I need HRCA approval for an egress window?
It is worth asking before work starts. HRCA’s guidelines say improvements not specifically listed require Architectural Review Committee review and written approval, and that approval does not stand in for county permits. Contact HRCA’s Community Improvement Services to confirm what your project needs. We can share window and well details for your submittal.
My basement already has a window well. Can it stay?
Sometimes. Douglas County’s guide allows a pre-existing window well with a 24-inch horizontal projection if all other egress conditions are met. A new well generally needs 9 square feet of area and a 36-inch projection, plus a permanent ladder when it is deeper than 44 inches. We measure what you have and tell you plainly whether it works.
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Reviews
Straight from our customers
“Karla and team Exceeded my expectations with timeliness. They were easy to work with. There were no hidden fees.”
Ann Sullivan
“We are really pleased with the finished product. The workmanship is good and the egress window is beautiful. We know that we will enjoy it for many years to come; and we will probably install two more egress windows in the future. So, we will certainly be giving a call again. Enjoyed working with you Steve and your staff.”
Yolanda Gallegos
“Sunny stopped by gave me an estimate to replace Two window wells, she was very pleasant and professional. No pressure to buy but was very through!Thanks Sunny”
Fred Cabbie
Planning an egress window in Highlands Ranch?
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(720) 626-4221Serving Denver and the Front Range. Showroom and virtual appointments available.