Our PermEntry basement door systems allow homeowners to add code-compliant living space or easy access storage areas to their home. Large items like game tables, furniture, pool supplies and/or patio furniture, move easily through the wide opening. Not to mention easy egress for those who may live in the lowest level of the home. First a representative from Standard Water consults with the home owner to choose the best location for the new door. The location is marked and the backhoe begins the excavation. The excavated dirt is loaded onto trucks for transport to a landfill. Once the hole is dug, the exterior wall is marked and holes are drilled to begin the process of creating an opening for the new door. The track for a special diamond-bladed saw is attached to ensure a square opening. The saw cuts through the exterior block in a matter of minutes. Now, there simply is no way to prevent a dirty, dusty mess with a project like this so preparation is important. The interior of the basement is prepared by moving as much as possible out of the basement and covering the rest in plastic. Doorways to other rooms and interior stairwells are also covered to keep the rest of the house clean. The interior wall is marked and cut with a special hand-held jackhammer. Once done the block is pounded out with an old fashioned maul and a little sweat. Scrap block is loaded onto trucks for recycling. The interior block is trimmed up in preparation for the door frame. The green treated lumber for the frame is prepared on site in Standard Water’s mobile wood shop. The crew then installs the door itself. A new cement threshold is poured in preparation for the new concrete stairwell that will be installed next. A template for the stairwell is applied to the door frame to ensure the stairs are level and square. Holes are then drilled in the block for the bolts that will attach the stairs to the house. The stairs are lowered into place by a crane. Great care is taken to protect both the workers and the property. They are securely bolted into place and steel support rods are installed to hold the stairs at the correct angle. Then the top door frame is installed on the stairwell. The steel doors and frame are unfinished and ready for the homeowner to choose the type and color of paint. In the meantime a generous amount of gravel is added to facilitate water drainage away from the concrete stairs. The rest will be filled with dirt. The doors are installed and the backfill is tamped down all set for new grass seed. In a fairly short time this installation will look like it’s been part of the house the whole time. The final result is code compliant, easy access to the basement allowing the homeowner to get the full use from the lowest level of their home. Though Standard Water Control Systems is best known for its solid drain tile systems that have kept thousands of homes dry since 1977, they have the skills, experience, and scores of satisfied customers who are happy to tell anyone about their excellent work in every service they offer. If you have any questions about a PermEntry installation for your home, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to contact us any time.
