We bought this house built in the 60s and it has these small windows that don’t provide much light . The house is brick but I’m wondering how difficult it would be to put in larger windows instead of replacing these old ones and paying for them to be custom made since they don’t have them anymore. What’s the process of cutting into brick and putting in windows? 
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3Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. Unfortunately, "cost estimate" questions are off-topic here, but you might be able to rephrase this as a "how could I" question (with pictures of the outside, as that's where the brick is, right?). And, thanks for taking our tour before posting; few new visitors do.– Daniel GriscomNov 12, 2020 at 13:21
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2Also of note, we had replacement windows installed 2 summers ago into our 1890s farm house. The windows vary from large to huge (up to 40x80"). Each one was custom made to fit its particular opening, but the prices were exactly the same, no matter the size and were on par with a similar "off-the-shelf" window from our local big-box store. i.e., don't let the phrase "custom window" scare you into thinking that they're automatically insanely expensive.– FreeManNov 12, 2020 at 13:29
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3I'll also offer my standard advice to those having just moved into a new home... live with it for a while. I never make drastic changes to a space for at least six months. Those windows are what they are so you don't have cold air next to your pillow. You may also find that you appreciate the wall space below for other reasons.– isherwoodNov 12, 2020 at 14:04
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2Custom windows - as long as they are rectangles - are no big deal at all. There is no "standard" like there (sort of) is for doors. I've never seen "off the shelf" windows - they are always measure-then-order no matter what brand. But cutting out large chunks of a wall can open up issues with: structural integrity, plumbing, electrical, ductwork - many of which are not obvious until you remove the drywall.– manassehkatz-Moving 2 CodidactNov 12, 2020 at 15:19
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2There's another issue here. The ones shown do not meet current code requirements for fire/emergency egress & ingress.– SteveShNov 12, 2020 at 16:47
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1 Answer
There are really two options:
- Remove the bricks in the area of the new windows and re-set them (after cutting those that need to be cut) back in the right format to give you the needed window opening.
- Using a masonry saw (these are easily rentable) cut out a new rough opening for your new windows, set the windows, and then trim around them.
I'd probably do #2 but either will work.
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This assumes that the widths of the windows will remain or be reduced. If they're widened there's a lot more to it. Nov 12, 2020 at 14:03
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1I didn't really address reframing in order to accommodate the windows. In either case that's likely needed.– jwh20Nov 12, 2020 at 14:06