Egress windows in Holmen
Egress windows for Holmen, where a lot of younger homes have basements just waiting to be finished.
Holmen is north of Onalaska in La Crosse County, with Star Hill bluff beside downtown and the Mississippi a short way to the southwest. Norwegian immigrants settled the area in 1862, and the name means "islet" in Norwegian. It had 10,661 residents at the 2020 census.
One of the area's fastest-growing places
Holmen had 2,411 residents in 1980 and more than four times that by 2020. Much of its housing was built in the decades since, which matters for egress. Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code has applied to new one- and two-family homes since June 1, 1980, and many Holmen basements have poured walls in good shape. A family moving to a bigger house, or adding a bedroom for a growing household, often looks first at the unfinished basement.
What that means for a Holmen egress job
- Openings are often cut in sound poured walls instead of old block or stone
- Builders sometimes placed a larger window in one basement wall; it may need only a well upgrade
- Sump pits are common in newer basements, so a well drain can often tie into the existing system
- Subdivision covenants or HOA rules may affect well style or landscaping
Plan it with the finish
If you're finishing a Holmen basement, put the egress window in before the framing. The installer can cut cleanly, the window buck can be sized for the wall thickness you're planning, and you avoid patching new drywall.
The Village of Holmen takes building permit applications online. Ask your contractor to confirm what the village needs for an egress window.
Common questions
My Holmen home already has a big basement window. Is it egress?
Maybe. Measure the clear opening when it's fully open and the height from the floor, then check the well. Many larger windows still need a deeper or wider well and a ladder.
Do you cover Holmen?
Yes. Call with your address and we'll connect you with a company that serves the village and the surrounding town of Holland.
Services in Holmen
- Egress window installationA new code-size basement window, from digging and cutting to the finished well.
- Foundation cutting and enlarging openingsCut a new opening, or make an old one bigger, in poured, block or stone walls.
- Egress window wellsSteel, composite or rock-terrace wells sized for code, with drainage and ladders.
- Window well coversClear covers, grates and custom lids that keep snow out but open from inside.
- Basement bedroom code helpFind out whether a basement room can legally be a bedroom, and what it needs.
Nearby areas
Finishing a basement bedroom, or told your basement window won't pass?
Call now and a local egress window installer will talk through your basement with you.