Advice on advertising a "potential" 4 bed rental

[Steve Moore]

I close on a duplex soon and want to market to renters. It has four potential rooms for bedrooms, but two of them have closets but are in the basement and don't have windows. I heard you can't advertise as a bedroom unless they have a window. However, due to layout, they could be used for that. Any suggestions on how to advertise the benefits of an extra room? Do I have to list as 3 bedroom (craigslist, etc.) or can I list as 4 bedroom and make a disclaimer? Any suggested wording?

[Roy N.]

Originally posted by @Chad S.:

I don't know what it would cost to put in a egress window, but it could be worth it if you can get another 100 dollars a month in rent.

Chad,

Installing an egress window in a basement will likely involve enlarging the existing window opening; digging a window well and tying it into the French drain; and, if deep enough, installing a ladder in your well. Depending on your foundation wall (block or poured); how large and opening you require for your choice of window; and how far below grade your window extends, installation of an egress window could cost from as little as $500 to as much as $1200 - $1500.

Of the different window styles available, slider and single hung will require the largest openings, followed by casement style windows {which have the disadvantage that they require clearance depth in the well itself to open}. The window style that meets egress with the smallest overall dimensions is a tilt-and-turn style window: window tilts in like a hopper window for ventilation and swings inward like a fridge door for egress. A very common window style in Europe, but still rare here in North America, though a few Canadian and U.S.A. fenestration companies have started to produce them.

The tilt-in-turn offers an additional benefit that you do not have to be worried about obstructions in the window well (leaves, snow, etc.) preventing the window from opening in the event of an emergency.

One of our favourites for basement applications is made by Polytech Products out of Baddeck, Nova Scotia. When we first installed them in one of our student houses, the other neighbourhood landlords and my own carpenter thought I was nuts. The building inspector loved them and uses two of our properties as references for others renovating basements. I've since seen them on other renos in the neighbourhood.