Why I Love 1920's Houses

Every time I get asked to do an estimate for a house built between 1920 and 1930 I'm reasonably certain I'm going to find windows that can be restored.

During this era it seemed like window factories finally had it figured out. The construction of the sash is good mortise and tenon, the jambs are securely constructed and the pocket covers for the weights are well made. This is less common in houses built in the 1880's- 1900's. It seems like then there was still a good deal of experimentation with jamb construction. We'll often find pocket covers cut in odd places, often looking like they were hacked at instead of precision made. The top and bottom corners of the frame aren't held together well, and sometimes not secured to the framing. Usually we can work with it, but the solidness of the 1920's construction is a thing of beauty.

So, if you have a house built during this period, think long and hard before replacing the quality made materials (no matter how shabby they may look after decades of paint and neglect) with modern replacement windows.