Outside Entry?

[Vermonter]

2 year old home. Stairs go from basement into the garage but not outside.
UW says it's an "Outside Entry", I didn't think it was....

....what say you?

 

[London]

Outside main dwelling living area, therefore outside entry....so I've been told. Fineline it may be.

 

[Ray Miller]

I would say outside. If I was doing a review I would not worry about it. Very fine line.

 

[Doug Trites]

Sounds like an up and out to me. I would not call it a walkout.

 

[Richard Carlsen]

Question I have always had about this entry is this:

1.) Does "outside entry" mean that there is an entry leading directly to the outside?

or

2.) Does it mean that you have to go outside to get into the basement?

I have interpreted this as being the first question so that a walkout basement with an entry inside of the living area and a direct walkout to the outside would get a "yes" answer. If access to the basement were only by an outside access (door or Bilko door for instances), the answer would also be yes plus I would note it specifically in the report as this outside only access creates some functional problems in our markets due to loss of utility.

 

[Marcia Langley]

If this is a yes or no form field, I'd call anything that does not go into the GLA an outside entry. Then in comments explain where it does go and the fact that it's an 'up', not an 'out'.

In general it could be done either way with proper comments.

Another case of where a yes or no type box is inappropriate.

 

[xmsenarho]

Ditto what Marcia (and others) said. While the entry is "inside" the garage, it is "outside" the GLA.

 

[Charles Knutson]

Outside Entry, Yes -- Walkout Basement, No.

Likewise, a basement with a door to the outside that is accessed by exterior stairs has an outside entry, but is not a walkout.

To me, an outside entry to a basement adds very little (if any) value, but a walkout basement does add value -- which I note and adjust in the basement grid.

 

[Jason Barber]

Marcia nailed it !!

Don't ever allow yourself to be limited to what the form dictates. Simply check the appropriate box and then explain why you checked this box in an ADDENDUM. Even if you believe this is NOT an outside entry, explain what you observed and why you feel this way. Give the intended user a clear description of what you have observed even if it requires photos. Then the hard part... try and find comps with similar characteristics.

In this case it sounds like the UW wants you to label this as an "outside entry". If they are telling you to do this for the purpose of making similar comparisons to walkouts, then this is incorrect. Each different type of outside entry will have its own impact to the market.