basement bedroom window

kate.h

Hi,

I'm hoping that some MSE forum users might be able to help me with this..

I am in the process of buying a '2 bedroom maisonette' set out over the ground floor and basement level. It is a really nice flat and by far the best thing I've seen in my price range in over six months of looking.

The kitchen, bathroom and bedroom 1 are on the ground floor. In the basement there's a lounge and dining room both with no windows, and bedroom 2.

Bedroom 2 has a large window area. It's difficult to describe. It is not a standard egress window. It is like a hatch, almost horizontal above your head as you stand on the steps that have been built as access to it. The idea is obviously that in the event of a fire you can stand on the steps, lift the hatch window and climb out. However, this window is extremely heavy to open and you would end up trying to climb out with it resting on your back as there is nothing to hold it in place even if you managed to open it as far as it goes (90 degrees). I tried to climb out of it yesterday but couldn't lift it high enough to feel safe sticking my neck through it!

I feel that I need to have this escape route improved but after a lot of googling I feel none the wiser about the possible options or the likely costs.

As far as I can see there are 3 options:

1) Have the hatch window replaced with lighter material (it is currently double glazed heavy glass) so that it's not a problem to have it resting on you as you climb out.

2) Replace the hatch window with a sliding window of some sort

3) Either side of the hatch window are two smaller non-opening vertical windows. Perhaps I could have one of these replaced with an opening window as an escape route.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to who to approach to get a quote for this sort of work?

Also what kind of cost am I looking at? hundreds of pounds or thousands!?

Also, if I do make alterations to it, would I then be obliged to meet current building regulations for basement bedroom windows, in which case my three options above might prove insufficient according to regulations, even though I would be improving what is already there.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Kate

cattie

Apart with the dreadful set up with this bedroom window you're not happy about, having rooms with no windows would bother me greatly. Are you sure the property is mortgagable without windows to dining room and living room? And are you sure these can legally be counted as rooms without them having windows?

kate.h

Hi Cattie

Thanks for your response

I've had a mortgage valuation (and mortgage agreed) and a homebuyer survey done on the property so I don't think that side of things is a problem.

There are internal windows between the 2nd bedroom and the dining room and lounge so they do get some natural light. In an ideal world obviously I would rather buy a flat that was all above ground but it's not realistic in this area with my budget (unless I go for a tiny 1 bed 'cluster home' where each room is only 10ft by 10ft). It just happens that this property suits me better even with the downside of the lack of natural light in some rooms.

I appreciate that people who could afford a property not with this set up might think I've lost the plot. For me it's a vast improvement on the studio flat in a grotty ex-local tower block that was my first step on the property ladder.

Can anyone give me any advice whether it's a glazier or a builder I could approach to help me with this issue?

Thanks

Kate