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June 23, 2009
Dig Stairs Outside to Cellar
I'd like to finish our cellar as a teen hangout room, and have stairs dug from the cellar to back yard for egress, light, and air. Any experience with how involved this and some sense of expense involved? We already have good ceiling height - over 7 feet.
Comments
Yes, this can be done. We did it in the front, and I wish we had done it in the back as well. You will need to make sure there are no drain pipes blocking your way - not sure what the issues related to the foundation might be. You will also need to obtain a door - make sure its watertight! (Ask, because not all of them are....) Ballpark guess - $5k? More?
Posted by: slopenick at June 23, 2009 12:08 PM
also how about a videocam or asking for a drug/sex den.
Posted by: Petebklyn at June 23, 2009 1:51 PM
I dug cellar steps front and back. The back was done twice - before and (several years later) after I built a rear addition. Quality varies greatly. The front and the first back stairs were built by masons from Spain who came up through the apprentice system. They understand the engineering as well as the masonry. All stairs were identical height, depth and pitched slightly for drainage. They also looked great and comfortable to navigate.
Second back stairs were built by a local mason and they are crap - uneven height and depth, not pitched for drainage and finished really poorly.
Choose your mason carefully. I think $5k is way too low.
I saw pics of a finished cellar with all glass doors across the back, the near part of the back garden terraced with steps leading up to the main part of the garden. Looked great.
Posted by: jfss at June 23, 2009 8:38 PM
PeteBrklyn that was stupid and uncalled for, you should apologize! That teen comment was insensitive and in you are the one in the gutter
Posted by: meme at June 23, 2009 10:22 PM
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