Hi All. My fiancee and I recently signed a contract on a new house. It has a “walk-out” basement which may be somewhat of a misnomer since the only door to the rear of the basement “walks out” to about 15 ft of air due to very steep grading. There’s a deck there now however. Toward the front of the house, the floor of the basement is just about level with the lot so I thought to add a door there. My question is: How difficult is it to add a door through the exterior wall of a house? The house is a new construction based on “craftsman bungalow” style, with frame construction. (some pics can be found here. http://www.chaean.net/Fun/House/VillageWalk/040602/index.htm. Pic 03 shows where I plan to put the door) What should I look out for?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The Paslode cordless siding and fencing nailer drives fasteners reliably without the hassle of hoses or compressors.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I'm assuming that you want to put the door to the front of the house (where the white pipe is) and that the block showing is backfilled (cause you said the existing basement door is above grade 15') If that's the case and you're dealing with wood framing that is probably still uncovered (since the house is new) it should be pretty easy....................frame in for the door using a dbl. 2x12 for the header.......when you're all done with the framing cut out the siding and put the door in..........but to be safe have someone who knows double check it before you do anything.
As a general rule, I would agree, not hard.
but
I see a vent stack (for a cleanout?) from the ground that hints that maybe there is a waste stack IN the wall right where you are going. Or who knows (maybe the onsite builder) whether there is a key structural component or a bundle of wires running in the wall right there. Sometimes a thousand dollar job can become a twenty thousand dollar job to move everthing else around.
What you don't know CAN hurt you.
Excellence is its own reward!