Basement finishing in Des Moines
Des Moines has a written policy answering the most common basement question: do I need an egress window? The answer depends on whether you're adding a bedroom.1 With 70% of the city's homes built before 1980 and a median build year of 1961, many basements here were built long before today's egress rules.2
Egress
Required for a basement finish with a bedroom; not required for a finish without one.1
Fees
$150 for a renovation permit, plus $75 each for electrical, mechanical and plumbing alterations (Feb. 2025 schedule).3
Where to apply
City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center, 602 Robert D. Ray Drive.1
Basement finishing cost
What does basement finishing cost in Des Moines?
What it costs to finish a basement in Des Moines: the city's flat permit fees, national per-square-foot ranges, egress costs and budget tips.
Read the guide →Egress windows
Egress windows in Des Moines
Basement egress windows in Des Moines: when the city requires one, opening sizes, window wells, ladder specs, under-deck rules and national costs.
Read the guide →When Des Moines requires an egress window
The Permit and Development Center's policy lists three cases:1
- New homes always need an emergency escape opening in the basement.
- Basement finishes with a bedroom need an egress window in the bedroom. Finishing a basement without a bedroom does not require one.
- 100% basement wall replacements require an emergency escape opening.
Exceptions: basements under 200 sq ft used only as mechanical rooms, and basements that can't be finished, for example those with ceilings lower than 6'8".1 Doors that open directly outside count as escape openings too.1
Egress specs
The city's handout requires a sill no higher than 44", at least 5.7 sq ft of opening (5.0 sq ft when the sill is within 44" of grade), 24" of height and 20" of width; wells of at least 9 sq ft and 36" in each direction; and ladders on wells deeper than 44". Details are on the Des Moines egress page.4
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Des Moines uses flat fees for work on existing homes rather than a valuation table:3
| Permit (Feb. 1, 2025 schedule) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Renovation to a dwelling | $150 |
| Electrical, for alterations to an existing dwelling | $75 |
| Mechanical, for alterations | $75 |
| Plumbing, for alterations | $75 |
A finish with all three trades would come to $375 in city permit fees under that schedule (our arithmetic). Confirm current fees with the Permit and Development Center.
Choosing a basement finishing company in Des Moines
Decide early whether you want a bedroom, since that's what triggers the egress requirement. Ask the contractor to check the ceiling height: under 6'8", the city may treat the basement as one that can't be finished.1 Then compare bids with the Des Moines cost guide.
Areas we serve
We match homeowners across the Des Moines area, including these communities and ZIP codes:
- Des Moines50309 · 50310 · 50311 · 50312 · 50314 · 50315 · 50316 · 50317 · 50319 · 50320 · 50321
- West Des Moines50265 · 50266
- Ankeny50021 · 50023
- Urbandale50322 · 50323
- Johnston50131
- Clive50325
- Waukee50263
- Grimes50111
- Altoona50009
- Pleasant Hill50327
- Norwalk50211
- Indianola50125
- Windsor Heights50324
ZIP codes are 2020 Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, which closely approximate USPS ZIP codes. We list ZIPs that make up a substantial share of each community, so edge ZIPs that barely touch a town are left out, and some ZIPs span two towns.5 Not on the list? Send the form anyway, and we'll tell you if we can help.
Common questions
Do I need an egress window to finish my basement in Des Moines?
Only if you're adding a bedroom, or replacing 100% of the basement walls. Des Moines's policy says a finish without a bedroom doesn't require one.
How much is a basement finish permit in Des Moines?
On the city's Feb. 2025 schedule, a renovation permit is $150, and electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for alterations are $75 each.
My basement ceiling is low. Can I still finish it?
Des Moines's egress policy cites basements with ceilings under 6'8" as an example of basements that can't be finished. Ask the Permit and Development Center about your situation.
Does a walkout door count as egress?
Yes. The city says doors that open directly to the exterior qualify as emergency escape openings.
General information summarized from the public sources listed below. It isn't professional, engineering or legal advice. Codes and programs change; confirm current requirements with your local building department or utility before you start.
Sources
- City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center, "Basement Egress Window/Emergency Escape Opening Policy" (updated May 22, 2014, PDF)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25035 (median year built), B25034 (year built), B25003 (tenure), B25077 (median value)
- City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center, "Permit Fees – New Fees 2-1-25" (PDF)
- City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center, "Emergency Egress Windows" handout (rev. Nov. 2013, PDF)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship files