Replies

1. 
   Art_B | Dec 18, 2000 09:31pm | #1

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   In this case "easiest" and "least expensive" is an oxymoron.
   Least expensive is safety glasses plus sledgehammer and hammer and chisel for finishing.
   Easiest is to pay to have it done.
   Me, (I'm so cheap I eat roadkill and too lazy to kill it myself) what I've done is the past is to take a few chunks out with the sledge, finish and square off rough with air impact chisel (4HP min compressor unless you want to take a number of rest breaks, cut rebar with whatever you have available. Put window (Al or vinyl)in hole, brace forms against old wall and window, fill with sacrete or grout. Sit back, have a few beers with fender kill jerky, remove forms in a few days or whenever you feel like it.

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   Art_B | Dec 18, 2000 09:34pm | #2

   *PS: You do need to take proper structual fixes/cautions/lintels etc. be sure the floor above doesn't fall into the hole you make in the wall with the sledge, but I figured you'd know that.

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   david_thodal | Dec 18, 2000 10:11pm | #3

   *Ray, It may cost some money, but you are much better off to hire a concrete cutting company to do the cutting. The last window I did was a basement egress. I hired an outfit to come in and cut the wall. The exterior I had excavated already for the window well and left plenty of room for the cutting. I taped off the inside to minimize dust. The hole they cut was about 4x4feet through 8" of concrete. It took them all of two hours to cut it and charged me $250, their minimum. I spent the remainder of the day and the next, cleaning up the debris and hauling it away. Next time I will have that done as well.The opening should be cut large enough to frame jambs on all four sides. Like Art says do your load calcs before you cut. If a header is needed to support the floor, you may be able to frame that before your cut. Otherwise build a temporary support wall.I double my jambs all around to insure square. The first jambs are anchored into the concrete. The next are screwed into the first with galvanized screws. After that the window install is typical. You can either case the window with wood or grout to the window jambs with a mortar mix. Be sure to slope any finish away from the window. I use polyurethane foam insulation to fill the voids around the jambs before I finish and trim inside.walk good david

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   HomeBldr_ | Dec 20, 2000 03:42pm | #4

   *I end up installing windows in new construction houses all the time, either we decide to do a basement finsh or the homebuyer does after the fact. The only way to go is having a concrete sawing company cut the wall for you. I always shore up the floor joists above prior to cutting the wall, either by temping or I build the interior stud wall including a header first. Be sure to do a load calculation for figuring the header needed in the cut opening and appropriate amount of trimmers needed. I install either vynal or clad window in the opening and have aluminum wrapped trim on the exterior. Whatever type of well or wall you use to get to grade, be sure to extend it well beyond the opening width and dig down to footing and install drain tile. Leave grade 8-12" below window and top off with rock to 4-6" below window. This provides a safe, effective and dry window install.

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   ray_fedorak | Dec 20, 2000 03:42pm | #5

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   I would like to add a window or two to my walk-out basement. Currently there is only one sliding door. The walls are pured concrete. Whats the easiest and least expensive way to do this.