What egress means
Egress is the way out of a building or room in an emergency: doors, halls, stairs and escape windows. Ingress is the way in.
Also called means of egress.
Where it matters on a window and door job
Remodels that add bedrooms, finish basements or move walls can trigger egress rules. Check them in the design stage, since adding an escape opening later is expensive.
What the model code says
- Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room need at least one operable emergency escape and rescue opening. (IRC 2021, Chapter 3)
Check which code edition your building department enforces for egress before you quote.
What it costs
Jobs that involve egress are priced in the egress window installation cost guide: about $4,150 typical, usually $2,600 to $5,650. The guide shows its sources and what moves the price. The egress window installation cost calculator prices a job line by line.
Work it out
- Free calculator: Egress window installation cost calculator
- Cost guide: Egress window installation cost
- Tools, templates and guides: Free window and door resources
Sources: 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 3, Building Planning (ICC). Checked October 9, 2026.