Is it expensive to put windows in the basement with brick wall?

[Brenda Maddox]

Hi there,

I am house hacking with a renter in the basement, and I want to put in a kitchenette and washer and dryers unit down there so she doesn't have to come upstairs to do it. I don't want to blow too much down there but if she ever leaves I might want to AirBNB it.  I am considering putting windows in the basement, the home is brick. Has anyone does this recently in the Atlanta area? How hard is the process? I want to be careful how much I put in down there because it might take a year or more to get it back. Once it has a kitchen and it fixed up a bit, I told her the rent will be 775 a month, right now it's just bare bones and I get 625. We are in Roswell, Ga. Thanks in advance, Brenda

[Brad Hammond]

Hi @Brenda Maddox, it sounds like you are talking about an egress window.  Someone will need to cut into the brick/foundation, dig out a hole and install the window.  That usually costs about $4,000-$7,000.  If you have the extra square footage, it might be worth it to add another legal bedroom.