Expert: Dan Griffin - 3/21/2008

Question
How would I go about replacing windows where the brick on the outside of the house overlays the framing of the window.  The house was built in the sixties and I want to replace all the windows with more energy efficient windows.  I only want to replace them 2 at a time and don't want to hire a contractor.

Answer
You need to talk to a window supplier about replacement type windows.  YOu need to do an extraordinary amount of check, double check, and "come back tomorrow" one more time check.  The brick opening is critical, the inside dimension may be more so.  Squareness, sill type, brick row lock, total wall thickness, finish wood or drywall returns, etc.  Once you have them well measured, measure them one more time.

If your existing windows are wood single or double hung windows there are good directions here:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2installvinylwindow
YOu would usually try not to disturb the existing exterior condition.  You may or may not want to cap the wood with metal or vinyl siding type trim.

Because of the vintage, I'm guessing you're telling me about flanged aluminum windows that were nailed to the wood frame prior to the brick installation.  Each installation may require a slightly different approach.  The primary goal is to not have to repair/replace/rebuild either the inside or outside, though modifying sills, exterior flashing, or capping old wood trim can certainly be part of the process.  The first one or two will be the toughest.  You will already have decided whether to leave the existing frame in location, the most likely approach, and will need to remove everything that is not frame.  Here is a decent overview:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/removing-aluminum-frame-windows.html

Hope this helps.