1960s Apartment Building Window Replacement — Aluminum Sliders Out
Your building went up in the 1960s or '70s, and the original aluminum sliders sweat, frost, rattle and leak in every unit.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
1960s apartment building window replacement usually means original aluminum sliders or early vinyl in brick or frame walls. JMB Builders decides insert or full frame opening by opening, cuts out frames fastened into masonry when they have to go, caps the exterior and finishes new interior returns. Each opening is listed by unit on the bid. Twin Cities metro to St. Cloud, priced per unit; photo reply within one business day or a free in-home estimate.
- Priced per unit
- Insert or full frame, opening by opening
- Brick and frame walls
A lot of Twin Cities apartment stock went up in the 1960s and '70s: two- and three-story brick or frame buildings with long rows of horizontal aluminum sliders. Those frames conduct cold straight through, so they sweat and frost all winter and the sills stay wet. Some buildings had them swapped once for early vinyl that is now failing too.
The choice on each opening is insert or full frame. An insert goes inside the old frame and keeps the interior finish, but the old aluminum frame stays in the wall. Full frame takes it out, which means cutting fasteners set into brick or framing and rebuilding the opening, and it gives back glass area and a fresh seal. We look at each opening and say which one it needs on the bid.
Inside, these buildings usually have drywall or plaster returns, a narrow stool and baseboard heat under the window. New returns and stools are part of the bid, worked around the heater covers. Outside, brick openings get new sealant joints and frame walls get capping, so the exterior looks the same on every floor.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- Any drawings or past window work you know of
- Resident notice and access to each unit
- Your call on window style: slider again, or a different style
- Frame color and glass for the whole building
What JMB supplies
- Every opening checked: frame type, fasteners, rot, wall type
- Insert or full frame recommended per opening on the bid
- Old aluminum or vinyl frames cut out and hauled away
- Openings rebuilt where the framing is rotted
- New sealant joints at brick; capping on frame walls
- New interior returns and stools, worked around heaters
- Bedroom windows checked for egress
- Permit pulled when the job needs one
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Insert vs. full frame on each opening
- Brick vs. frame wall around the window
- Rot or water damage under old sills
- Interior returns: drywall, plaster or wood
- Baseboard heaters or wall units under or near windows
- Changing window style or size
Send a photo of a typical window from outside and inside, close-ups of a corner of the frame, and the unit count.
How long it takes
Typically one to two working days per unit, longer where full-frame openings need rebuilding. Lead time depends on the brand and is written on the bid.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
1960s Apartment Building Window Replacement — Aluminum Sliders Out: questions, answered
Should 1960s aluminum apartment windows be replaced with inserts or full frame?
It depends on each opening. An insert is quicker and keeps the interior finish, but leaves the cold aluminum frame in the wall. Full frame removes it and reseals the opening. We look at every opening and the bid says which method it gets and why.
Why do old aluminum apartment windows sweat so much?
Aluminum carries cold straight through the frame, so the inside surface gets cold enough for indoor moisture to condense and freeze. Replacement windows with insulated frames and glass run warmer on the inside.
Can you replace windows in a 1970s brick apartment building without damaging the brick?
That is the goal of how we remove the old frames: fasteners into the brick are cut rather than pried, and the opening is cleaned up before the new window is set. New sealant joints go between the window and the brick. Damaged brick found during removal is noted for the owner.
Do old apartment windows have to be replaced with the same style?
Not always. Sliders can be swapped for single-hungs or casements if the opening and the building code allow, and bedroom windows have to meet egress. The building official decides on egress, and the bid shows any style change opening by opening.
What happens to the interior trim when apartment windows are replaced?
On a full-frame opening the returns and stool are rebuilt. On an insert the old returns often stay and new trim covers the joint. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or the trim is left primed and caulked for the owner's painter.
Can a 1960s apartment building be done one floor at a time?
Yes. The bid lists every opening by floor and unit, so you can phase it by floor, by side or by unit. The window spec is written on the bid so later phases match.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All apartment buildings pages
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