Home/Walkout Basements
Walkout Basements in Denver
Give your basement its own front door. We cut the foundation, build the stairwell and set the door, so the space downstairs gets daylight, fresh air and a private entrance.
The biggest basement upgrade
Turn a dark basement into living space with a view
A walkout adds an exterior entrance to your lower level: a door cut through the foundation wall, with a stairwell or sunken patio leading up to the yard. It brings in far more light than a window, and it makes the basement feel like part of the house instead of storage.
It's the go-to upgrade when you want to rent out the basement, give a home office its own entrance, or simply make it easier to get furniture, bikes and people in and out.
- Private entrance for a rental or guest suite
- Daylight and fresh air through a full door
- More usable, more valuable square footage
Watch it happen
A walkout basement install in 60 seconds
This time-lapse follows one of our walkout basement jobs: digging out the yard, cutting the foundation and building the new entrance.
Ideas for the space
What will your walkout be?
Income
Basement rental
A separate entrance makes short- or long-term renting simple, and gives your tenants their own way in and out.
Work
Office or studio
Clients and coworkers come and go without walking through your home, and you get daylight at your desk.
Family
Bedroom or rec room
Open the basement to a sunken patio or the backyard and it becomes the room everyone wants to hang out in.
What goes into it
One crew handles the whole entrance
A walkout is structural work, so it starts with engineering. From there our crew does the digging, the cut through the foundation and everything that makes the new entrance solid and dry.
- Engineering detail and building permit
- Excavation and dirt haul-off
- Foundation saw cut and header for the door opening
- Concrete stairwell or sunken patio
- Door installation, waterproofing and drainage
Questions
Walkout basement questions
Do I need a permit for a walkout basement?
Yes. Cutting a door opening into a foundation wall is structural work. Every walkout we build has an engineering detail, and we pull the permit with your city or county.
Can a walkout door count as a bedroom’s emergency exit?
It can. Building codes allow a door to serve as the emergency escape opening when it is a side-hinged or sliding door that leads outside. Your estimator will confirm what your city requires for your layout.
Stairwell or sunken patio, which is better?
It depends on how deep your basement sits and how much yard you have. A stairwell takes less room; a sunken patio gives you outdoor space at basement level. We will walk you through both at the estimate.
Do you build walkouts year-round?
Yes. We install walkout basements and egress windows throughout the year.
Is a walkout worth it?
A walkout adds light, a private entrance and more usable living space, which is why it is popular for basement rentals, offices and guest suites. It is also one of the biggest upgrades you can make to a lower level.
Reviews
What walkout customers say
“I had a walkout basement put in by Steve and his crew. They did an excellent job! The final product was amazing! Steve and his crew are very professional and work fast…Steve had my basement finished in just over 2 weeks! A mountain of a project that I thought would take months! Steve explained the whole process and kept me informed every step of the way. He made routine visits/calls and made sure everything went according to plan. Steve really stayed on top of things and took care of every issue that came up. I highly recommend this company!!”
Chris K
“We have used Denver Egress Window for a number of years for all the Window needs of JH Basement Finish. We have had nothing but a positive experience, prompt, professional and courteous throughout. JH Basement Finish highly recommends Denver Egress Window”
Joseph Hannah
“Denver Egress Window did a great job installing 3 egress windows into our basement. Sharine was great to work with during the sales process, coming out to help us quote our project twice over the course of a year. The installation crew was professional and friendly, installing our windows over the course of several days. We're confident that investment will improve the value of the house.”
Daniel Trujillo
Thinking about a walkout basement?
Send photos of the yard and the spot you'd like to open up. We'll talk through the design and send a free estimate.
(720) 626-4221Serving Denver and the Front Range. Showroom and virtual appointments available.