Window Replacement in a Brick House — Set Behind the Brick Returns
Brick does not move, so the window has to fit the opening. We replace windows in brick walls without touching the masonry and seal them tight to it.
JMB Builders does window replacement in brick houses across the Twin Cities metro. The brick stays put. We measure each masonry opening in person, order windows sized to it, remove the old units, set the new ones level behind the brick returns, flash and foam them, seal the joint to the brick with backer rod and sealant, and cap or trim the exterior. Priced per window, quoted from photos.
- Priced per window, windows supplied
- Brick left in place
- In-home measure before anything is ordered
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
In a brick house, the brick is a veneer in front of a framed wall, with a steel lintel over each window carrying the brick above. The window sits behind the brick return, with a brick or stone sill below it. None of that changes when the window is replaced, so the new unit has to be measured to the masonry opening, not to the old window.
Most brick jobs are inserts or block-frame units set inside the existing wood buck, with the old exterior brickmould removed or capped. The joint between the window and the brick gets backer rod and a flexible sealant, not a thick bead of caulk that cracks the first winter. We also look at the lintel: a rusted lintel pushing the brick is something to know about before a new window goes under it.
What you supply
- Your choice of brand, color, glass and grilles
- Clear access to each window inside and outside
- Your paint color for interior trim — Painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What JMB supplies
- In-home measure of each masonry opening before ordering
- The windows, ordered to fit the brick openings
- Removal and haul-away of the old windows
- Flashing, low-expansion foam, backer rod and sealant to the brick
- Exterior aluminum capping or PVC brickmould over the wood buck
- Interior stops or new casing, stool and apron
- Photos of the finished windows and any lintel concerns in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Insert vs. block-frame unit in the brick opening
- Condition of the wood buck and brick sill
- Window size, brand, frame material and glass package
- Exterior finish: aluminum capping or new PVC brickmould
- Rusted lintels or loose brick that need attention first
- Second-story access and staging
Send photos of each window from outside showing the brick above and the sill below, plus one from inside.
How long it takes
Three to five windows a day for inserts in brick. Block-frame units with new interior trim: two or three a day.
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 quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 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.
Situations and options
Insert in the brick opening
The new window goes inside the old frame; the brick, sill and interior casing stay. The old exterior wood is capped in aluminum so there is nothing left to paint.
Block-frame unit
Old window and frame out to the wood buck, new block-frame unit fastened into the buck behind the brick return. More glass than an insert, still no brick removed.
Masonry repair first
When the lintel is rusted and pushing the brick, or the brick sill is cracked, that is dealt with before the new window goes in so the new unit is not under a moving wall.
Window Replacement in a Brick House — Set Behind the Brick Returns: questions, answered
Do you have to remove brick to replace windows?
Almost never. The new window is sized to fit behind the existing brick returns and set in the old wood buck or frame. The brick, lintel and sill stay in place.
What is the gap between my window and the brick filled with?
It should be backer rod and a flexible sealant rated for masonry. A thick bead of caulk on its own cracks and pulls away as the brick and window move with temperature. We cut out old caulk and seal it properly.
Can you get a new window to fit my existing brick opening?
Yes. Replacement windows are ordered to size, so we measure each masonry opening at the in-home measure and the windows are made to fit them. Brick openings are rarely square, so we measure in several places.
What is the steel above my brick window?
That is the lintel, a steel angle that carries the brick over the window. When it rusts it expands and can crack or push the brick. We point it out if we see it, because it should be addressed before a new window goes under it.
What goes on the outside of a new window in a brick house?
Usually the old wood brickmould and buck are capped in aluminum coil or replaced with PVC brickmould, so there is no paint to maintain. The joint to the brick is then sealed with backer rod and sealant.
How long does window replacement take in a brick house?
Insert windows run three to five a day. Block-frame units with new interior trim run two or three a day. Each opening is sealed the same day.
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 for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
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