Manufacturer Profile: BILCO

The numbers correspond to door height, which is dictated by how far your foundation wall extends above grade. BR-1 is the shortest and fits shallower above-grade exposures, BR-2 is the most commonly specified size in our region and fits most standard residential foundations, and BR-3 is the tallest and handles foundations with significant above-grade exposure. Width is the same across all three. If you're unsure which size fits your project, measure the height of the foundation wall from the basement floor to the top of the wall — we can match that measurement to the right BR door over the phone.

The Classic Series is BILCO's traditional steel basement door, available in primer or factory powder-coat finish and built to be repainted as needed over its lifetime. The Ultra Series is BILCO's polyethylene basement door — it will never rust, rot, or need painting, and features a simulated wood texture in a driftwood color that complements most home exteriors. Choose Classic when you want a paintable finish that matches your home exactly, or when budget is the priority. Choose Ultra when long-term, low-maintenance performance matters more than finish customization — a common choice for rental properties and homeowners who don't want to repaint every few years.

Yes. BILCO basement doors meet IRC 2021 building code requirements for emergency egress in finished basement living areas. The wide opening dimensions allow safe escape during a fire or other emergency, which is one reason BILCO doors are commonly specified for basement bedroom and finished-living-area conversions. Confirm specific local code requirements with your contractor or local building department, but the BILCO product line itself is designed and tested to meet the relevant residential egress standards.

We stock every common BILCO door size at our Mullica Hill, NJ warehouse: BR-1, BR-2, BR-3, and Ultra C, along with extensions, foundation plates, and stair stringers. Stocked items are available for same-day pickup, delivery on our trucks within our service area, or freight shipment anywhere in our distribution territory — with no factory lead time. Less common sizes, flat-wall Classic Series doors, smaller Ultra Series sizes, custom powder-coat colors, and PermEntry precast entrances are special-order items we'll arrange directly with BILCO on your behalf.

No. Egress Solutions is a distributor, not a contractor. We refer BILCO installations to Swain Contracting, our partner installer covering New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Outside that area, we'll help you identify a qualified installer or coordinate with a contractor you already have on the project. BILCO doors are commonly installed by foundation contractors, basement waterproofing pros, and general remodeling contractors, so finding qualified labor is usually straightforward.

Pricing varies by size, finish, and whether you're buying a stock item or a custom order. Stocked BR series doors are the most economical entry point; Ultra Series doors carry a premium for the maintenance-free polyethylene construction; factory powder-coat finishes and PermEntry precast entrances add cost on top of the base door. Installation is separate and quoted by your contractor (or by Swain Contracting through us). For a current quote on any BILCO product, give us a call or use the contact form on this page — we'll price the door, the framing components, and freight in one conversation.

Yes. We ship throughout our full distribution territory across the Delaware River Valley and the eastern Mid-Atlantic. Inside our core service area in New Jersey and Southeastern PA, we deliver on our own trucks. Outside the service area but inside the distribution territory, we arrange common-carrier or LTL freight, palletize the order in our yard, and load it onto the carrier truck when it arrives. Shipping and handling are billed to the customer, and we quote freight up front.

Yes — that's actually one of the original use cases for the product. BILCO basement doors are sized to move large items into and out of a basement that wouldn't fit through interior stairways: pool tables, deck and patio furniture, large appliances, finished-basement furniture, and seasonal storage. The wide opening is one of the practical reasons homeowners add a bulkhead even when egress isn't the primary driver.