General FAQ

Utah follows International Residential Code Section R310. A basement egress window must provide a net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (5.0 sq ft for grade-floor/below-grade openings), a minimum clear height of 24 inches, a minimum clear width of 20 inches, and a sill no more than 44 inches above the finished floor. The window well must be at least 9 square feet with at least 36 inches of projection and width, and wells deeper than 44 inches need a permanent ladder or steps. These are measured at the actual opening, not the glass.

No. Egress is required for basement bedrooms and is also expected for habitable basement living space that lacks a direct exterior exit. Storage and utility rooms generally do not need one. But inspectors look at how a room functions: if a room has a closet and is clearly designed for sleeping, it may be treated as a bedroom and require egress even if you call it a "bonus room."

Sometimes. A side-hinged or sliding exterior door that meets the code's escape requirements can serve as the emergency escape-and-rescue opening for the area it serves. However, individual basement bedrooms may still each need their own egress opening depending on the layout. A Lehi inspector reviews the specific basement plan, so this must be confirmed case by case.

Yes, in nearly all cases. Cutting a foundation for a door or window, excavating beside the foundation, and structural work all require a Lehi City building permit and inspection. We prepare and submit plans and schedule the inspections. Working without a permit can bring fines and create problems when you sell or refinance, so we never skip it.

Lehi calculates building permit fees from 90% of the ICC Building Valuation Data, with a residential plan-check fee equal to 40% of the permit fee and a minimum permit fee of $23.50. The exact dollar amount depends on your project's valuation, plus any state surcharge. Because fees change, we confirm the current amount for your specific project and include permit handling in our scope.

Plan for a few stages: utility locating (Blue Stakes/811), engineering and plan prep, city permit approval, then construction with pauses for inspections and concrete curing. The hands-on construction is usually a matter of days; the full timeline from signed quote to finished, inspected job typically runs a few weeks. We give you a written schedule before we begin.

In most Lehi residential zones, yes. Utah's HB 82 (2021), codified at Utah Code 10-9a-530, makes an internal ADU a permitted use. Lehi requires a qualifying lot of at least 6,000 square feet, owner-occupancy, one ADU per parcel, and no short-term (under 30-day) rentals, and the city may restrict ADUs in a limited share of residential zones for utility reasons. The unit must meet building code, including egress. Confirm your address with Lehi Planning at 385-201-1030.

Every basement sleeping room in a rental must have a code-compliant emergency escape-and-rescue opening under IRC R310. A separate exterior entrance is not always legally mandated but makes the unit far more rentable and cleanly separates the tenant from your household. Many Lehi homeowners add a private entrance specifically for this reason.

Costs vary significantly by site and project, so we can only quote after a visit. 

A complete basement egress window installation in Utah averages around $4,250 and ranges from $2,550 to $7,500

Walkout entrances might range from $20k–$40k. Your Lehi project depends on foundation type, depth, soil, drainage, ceiling height, surrounding terrain/grade and finishing.

Yes, when done correctly. Cutting an opening in a foundation requires installing a structural header to carry the load, and excavation must be done carefully. This is precisely why foundation and basement-entrance work should never be a DIY job. Built to code with proper structural support and drainage, your home stays just as sound as before.