New, larger windows in a brick house?

[Andrei]

We are considering buying a 10-year-old ranch-style brick house, which has relatively small windows. I don't like this- it's not enough light in the house. Therefore, I got an idea to remove a few old windows, enlarge the openings and install new, bigger windows.

Questions are: Is it possible to do it at all and if yes, how expensive could it be? I have an impression that enlarging the opening in the brick wall, i.e. removing some of the existing breaks that surround the existing opening, might be impossible from the structural point of view. I don't have any experience in things like this, so I'll need to hire a professional. How much could it cost?

TIA,

Andrei

[Art Begun]

Very expensive.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Can be done. All it takes is time and money.

Making a window larger by going longer (down) is easier and cheaper than going wider. To go wide, you have to add a larger lintel over top to carry the load. Not something easily done by a new DIY kind of guy. Brick must be cut, some must be put back after the lintel, etc. Ed

[mike korenchuk]

In SE MI the going cost to have a window replaced is about $700-$800 in an existing opening. This would be a national name brand wood window such as Pella, Marvin, Eagle and the window custom fit to the existing opening. Vinyl would be approx. half of that. To do the job you're considering would require much masonry work as well as reframing the opening and some refinish of the interior surface. Without looking, you may be in to $1500 or more per opening.