Egress Window Installation in St. Michael, MN
In St. Michael the house type decides the job: a split-level lower level is half out of the ground, a two-story basement is all the way down.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Egress window installation in St. Michael, MN, mostly in the 1995–2010 two-stories and split-levels whose lower levels are now being finished. JMB Builders cuts the foundation wall to egress size or enlarges the existing window, sets the window and an anchored well on drainage gravel, trims the inside, and pulls the permit after checking with the City of St. Michael. Priced per window; quote from your photos or at a free in-home estimate.
- Priced per window, well and trim included
- Split-level and full-basement egress
- Permit through the City of St. Michael
The typical St. Michael home was built between about 1995 and 2010, either as a two-story over a full basement or as a split-level. Many of those lower levels were left unfinished or got a quick rec room, and now owners want a bedroom down there. A bedroom needs an egress window, and that is where the two house types part ways.
On a split-level the lower level sits partly above grade and usually already has full-size windows. Getting to egress often means enlarging one of them downward a little and setting a shallow well, a smaller dig than people expect. Under a two-story, the basement is full depth with small windows high in the wall. That job is a bigger cut and a deep well, which may need a ladder or steps.
Either way we check the wall, the grade and what is outside it before picking the window. Cutting a foundation wall usually needs a permit. We confirm with the City of St. Michael building department and pull it, so the inspection is on record.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- Which room will be the bedroom, and the framing plan if the basement is not finished yet
- Casement or slider, color and the well style you like
- Room outside to dig and to haul out concrete
- Trim paint color — painting is a separate quote line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- Site check: wall type, grade, and what is over the dig
- Utility locate through Gopher State One Call
- Permit application with the City of St. Michael
- Excavation, wet-saw cut and haul-away of the concrete
- Header where the wall needs one; engineer sizing when required
- Window set on a treated buck in a sill pan, flashed and sealed
- Anchored well with drainage gravel, ladder or steps where the depth calls for it
- Returns or jamb extensions and casing inside
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Split-level enlargement with a shallow well vs. a full-depth basement cut
- Enlarging an existing window vs. a new opening in solid wall
- Well size and depth, ladder or steps, and a cover
- What has to move outside: deck steps, landscaping, a condenser
- Finished vs. unfinished wall inside
- Permit fees set by the city
Tell us split-level or two-story, and send the wall from inside and outside. That alone sorts most of the quote.
How long it takes
A split-level enlargement: often two days. A full-depth cut with a deep well: two to three days. Inspection timing is on top of that.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Egress Window Installation in St. Michael, MN: questions, answered
Is an egress window easier on a split-level house in St. Michael?
Usually, yes. The lower level of a split sits partly above grade and often has bigger windows already, so the cut is smaller and the well is shallow. Many split-level egress jobs are an existing window made larger rather than a new hole. We confirm the sill height and clear opening against code before cutting.
My St. Michael two-story has a full basement with small windows. What does egress take there?
A bigger dig and a deeper cut. The small window high in the wall is replaced with an opening cut lower and wider, and a deep well goes outside, with a ladder or steps when it is deep enough to need one. It is the same job, just more concrete and more excavation.
Who issues the egress window permit in St. Michael, MN?
The City of St. Michael building department. Most cities require a permit to cut a foundation wall, and we check the requirements for your job and pull the permit. The inspection gives you a record that the bedroom window meets code.
Can an egress window go in a finished lower level?
Yes. We protect the floor, open the drywall around the spot, cut and set the window, and then patch and trim. It is more careful work than an unfinished wall, but the window and well are the same.
What kind of window well is best?
Galvanized steel is common and economical; composite and stone-look wells cost more and look better from the yard. What matters most is size and drainage: the well must be big enough to climb out of and set on gravel so water drains. A cover must open from inside without tools.
Can egress windows be added to the walkout side of a basement?
On a walkout, the back wall is often already at grade, and a full-size window there may need no well at all. It still has to meet the escape opening size and sill height. Sometimes the right answer for that bedroom is a window on the walkout side instead of a cut on a buried wall.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All by city pages
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