Egress Window Cost Toronto Installation 2026

# Egress Window Cost Toronto Installation 2026

The realistic 2026 cost for a code-compliant egress window installation in Toronto is $4,000 to $9,500 per window depending on whether the foundation needs to be cut, the foundation type, and whether the window well needs new drainage. The single biggest cost driver is the cut itself — homeowners who can find a basement opening already close to the OBC dimensions save thousands. Homeowners with a typical pre-1980 Toronto basement window need a real cut, a structural lintel, and a new well, and they should budget toward the upper end of the range.

This article walks through the three pricing tiers we see on Toronto egress projects in 2026, the line items inside each tier, the factors that move a project up or down within a tier, and two worked examples — a Birch Cliff bungalow basement bedroom and an East York semi-detached legal-apartment job. For the full project framework, see our [Egress Window Installation Toronto: Complete 2026 Guide](/blog/egress-window-installation-toronto-2026-complete-guide). For the OBC dimensional rules that drive the scope, see [OBC 9.9.10 Egress Requirements Toronto](/blog/obc-9-9-10-egress-requirements-toronto). For the foundation-cutting specifics, see [Egress Window Foundation Cutting Toronto](/blog/egress-window-foundation-cutting-toronto).

The Three Pricing Tiers

Pricing for egress windows in Toronto in 2026 falls into three tiers based on the cutting scope.

Tier 1: Replacement in an existing rough opening — $4,000 to $5,500. The existing basement window is already close to or exceeds the egress dimensions but the window itself is non-compliant (broken hardware, painted shut, security-barred without quick-release, or simply old single-pane). The work is window removal, frame upgrade, new code-compliant casement, exterior trim, sealing, and a window well upgrade if the existing well is undersized or has failed drainage. No foundation cutting required, no new lintel, no PEng. About 15% of our jobs fall here. Tier 2: Foundation enlargement on a poured-concrete foundation — $5,500 to $7,500. The most common scenario. The existing window is too small. We cut the poured-concrete foundation wall, install a structural lintel above the new opening, install the new code-compliant window, build the window well, tie the well drain to the weeping tile, and finish exterior and interior trim. PEng-stamped lintel detail is part of permit drawings. About 60% of our jobs. Tier 3: Foundation enlargement on a block or rubble foundation — $7,500 to $9,500. The pre-1940 Toronto homes with concrete-block or rough-rubble foundations. Cutting these requires more careful structural work, often including reinforcement of adjacent block courses to re-establish the load path. About 25% of our jobs.

Line Items in a Tier 2 Job

A typical Tier 2 egress window job in Toronto in 2026 breaks down as follows:

• Permit application and Toronto Building fees: $400 to $700.
• Structural engineer (PEng) lintel detail: $800 to $1,500. We coordinate with engineers we work with regularly. The fee covers a site visit (sometimes), the lintel calculation and detail drawing, and the stamped sheet that goes into the permit set.
• Permit drawings produced by RenoHouse: $200 to $500. Site plan, elevation, foundation section.
• Concrete saw cutting subcontractor: $300 to $700. Wet-cutting concrete saw, diamond blade, half-day on most jobs.
• Dumpster rental for foundation spoil: $400 to $700. Required because the cut concrete is dense and exceeds curbside-disposal limits.
• Structural lintel: $300 to $800 material. Steel L-angle (most common) or galvanized steel lintel sized per PEng.
• Window unit (vinyl or fibreglass casement, code-compliant): $900 to $2,200. Brand depending on spec — Milgard, Pella, Marvin, or Andersen 100-Series are common in our jobs. Casement style for the reasons covered in the operating-style article.
• Window well (galvanized steel or composite): $400 to $900. Boman Kemp is our default brand; the unit is sized to the window and the wall projection.
• Drainage tie-in to weeping tile: $300 to $700. Connection from the well bottom to the existing perimeter drainage.
• Exterior siding, brick trim, parging repair: $400 to $1,000. Depends on the exterior wall finish — brick is more involved than siding.
• Interior drywall, trim, paint patch: $300 to $700. The cut produces interior drywall damage that needs to be repaired and painted.
• Labour for cutting prep, framing, install, finishing: $1,500 to $3,500. The labour line absorbs the multi-day on-site work.
• Project management, coordination, insurance, WSIB: absorbed in margin.

Total for a typical Tier 2 job: $5,500 to $7,500. Toward the lower end on a simpler exterior (siding, single window, no obstructions); toward the upper end on a brick exterior with parging and a deeper well requiring more excavation.

Factors That Move the Cost Up

Within a tier, the cost moves up when:

• Brick exterior instead of siding. Brick demolition and re-trim adds $500 to $1,500.
• Deep window well. A well with more than 1.5 m grade-to-bottom depth requires more excavation, a deeper unit, and a permanent ladder. Adds $400 to $900.
• Utility relocation. Gas line, electrical conduit, or hose bib in the cut zone requires a licensed trade to relocate. Gas relocation adds $400 to $1,200; electrical relocation through a licensed electrician with ESA permit adds $600 to $1,500.
• Adjacent finished basement. Cutting next to an already-finished basement requires more demolition, dust protection, and re-finishing inside. Adds $500 to $2,000.
• Multiple windows on the same project. Counterintuitively, the second window is cheaper than the first by about 20% because the engineer fee, permit fee, and crew mobilization are spread.
• Block foundation upgrade work. If adjacent block courses need reinforcement (Tier 3 territory), add $800 to $2,000.

Factors That Move the Cost Down

Costs move down when:

• Existing rough opening is close to compliant. Tier 1 territory.
• Above-grade or partially-above-grade window. Less excavation, smaller well, sometimes no well at all.
• Replacement-only with no foundation work. Skips the engineer and the cutting subcontractor.
• Multiple windows on one permit. The fixed fees amortize.
• Crew on adjacent project. If RenoHouse is already on site doing a basement renovation or apartment legalization, the egress is folded in at marginal cost.

Worked Example 1: Birch Cliff Bungalow Basement Bedroom

Property: 1958 Birch Cliff bungalow, poured-concrete foundation, basement currently used for storage, homeowner converting to a guest bedroom for an aging parent. Single window scope.

Existing condition: 24-inch by 18-inch original basement window, sill at 1.4 m above the basement floor (basement floor at original elevation). Brick exterior. Existing window well is a rusted galvanized half-circle, 14 inches deep, no drainage. New finished floor planned at the same elevation as existing — no underpinning.

Scope:

• Foundation cut to enlarge opening to 36 × 48 inches.
• New structural lintel (steel L-angle, PEng-specified).
• New Milgard casement, code-compliant.
• New Boman Kemp window well, 36 × 60 × 48 inch, with drainage tied to weeping tile.
• Brick exterior trim and parging.
• Interior drywall patch and paint.
• Sill drop is needed to bring the openable sill within 1.0 m of finished floor — addressed by enlarging downward as well as outward.

Pricing:

• Permit and drawings: $700.
• Engineer detail: $1,100.
• Cutting and dumpster: $900.
• Lintel: $400.
• Window: $1,500.
• Well: $650.
• Drainage tie-in: $500.
• Brick and parging: $850.
• Interior patch: $450.
• Labour: $2,200.
• Total: $9,250.

This sits at the top of Tier 2 / bottom of Tier 3 because of the brick exterior and the sill-drop work.

Worked Example 2: East York Semi-Detached Legal Apartment

Property: 1962 East York semi-detached, poured-concrete foundation, basement undergoing legal apartment conversion. Two basement bedrooms, both requiring egress.

Existing condition: Two original basement windows on the side wall (between the property line and the house), each 28 × 16 inches, sill at 1.3 m. Stucco exterior over wood sheathing.

Scope:

• Two foundation cuts on the same wall, both to 36 × 48 opening.
• Two structural lintels (one PEng detail covers both, since the engineer specifies one detail and the contractor applies it twice).
• Two Pella casement windows.
• Two Boman Kemp wells, drainage manifolded into a single weeping-tile tie-in.
• Stucco patch on exterior, drywall patch interior.
• Coordinated as part of broader basement-apartment legalization (kitchen, fire separation, second exit) — not priced here.

Pricing for the egress scope only:

• Permit and drawings (single permit covers both): $900.
• Engineer detail (one stamp covers both): $1,300.
• Cutting and dumpster (one mobilization for two cuts): $1,200.
• Lintels (two): $700.
• Windows (two): $2,800.
• Wells (two): $1,200.
• Drainage tie-in (single trench): $700.
• Stucco and parging: $700.
• Interior patches: $700.
• Labour: $3,200.
• Total for two windows: $13,400.

Per-window cost: $6,700. Note that the per-window cost on the two-window job is below the typical single-window Tier 2 cost because of the amortization of fixed fees.

Cost Comparison vs Walkout Basement

For homeowners weighing egress windows against a walkout-basement retrofit, the rough comparison in 2026 Toronto:

• Two egress windows + drainage: $10,000 to $15,000.
• Walkout basement retrofit (excavation, retaining wall, exterior door, grade work): $25,000 to $80,000.

Walkout produces an above-grade rental ceiling 15 to 25% higher than a below-grade legal apartment, which can amortize the higher cost over three to seven years of rental income. For the full comparison, see [Egress Window vs Walkout Basement Toronto](/blog/egress-window-vs-walkout-basement-toronto).

Cost vs Window Well Alone

Some homeowners ask whether they can skip the foundation cut and only upgrade the window well. The answer: only if the existing window already meets 9.9.10 dimensions. Most Toronto pre-1980 basement windows do not. A window well alone runs $700 to $1,800 but does nothing for a non-compliant opening. For the full comparison, see [Egress Window vs Window Well Toronto](/blog/egress-window-vs-window-well-toronto).

Financing the Project Through Rent

The financing math for an egress window in a legal-apartment conversion is the cleanest in Toronto renovation. Typical rent on a legal basement apartment in 2026: $1,500 to $3,000 per month. A two-bedroom egress scope at $13,400 amortizes against $2,200/month rent in about six months. The full apartment legalization at $45,000 to $90,000 amortizes in 18 to 36 months.

Ready for a Real Quote

The numbers in this article are real 2026 Toronto pricing across our portfolio. Your specific project will sit somewhere within these ranges depending on your foundation, your exterior, your number of windows, and your sill geometry. The right starting point is a site visit.

[Book an egress window consultation](/services/home-renovation/egress-window-installation) to get a written tier classification and an indicative price within five business days.

For related project framing, see our [Egress Window Installation Toronto: Complete 2026 Guide](/blog/egress-window-installation-toronto-2026-complete-guide), [OBC 9.9.10 Egress Requirements Toronto](/blog/obc-9-9-10-egress-requirements-toronto), and [Egress Window Permit Toronto Process](/blog/egress-window-permit-toronto-process).