By Todd, owner of Windows Plus
Louisville has some of the best old houses in the country. Victorians in Old Louisville, shotguns in Butchertown, Tudors and bungalows along the Highlands. If you own one, you already know the windows are a big part of the character. You probably also know they’re drafty, painted shut or rotting at the sills. Here’s what I tell homeowners who want better windows without running afoul of the historic rules.
First: are you actually in a historic district?
This is the question that saves the most headaches. Louisville has local preservation districts, including Old Louisville, Cherokee Triangle, Clifton and Butchertown, plus individually designated landmarks. If your home is in one of those, exterior changes like window replacement need approval first.
Plenty of older homes in neighborhoods like the Highlands, Germantown and Crescent Hill aren’t in a local district at all, even though they look like they should be. So check before you assume either way. Louisville Metro’s historic preservation staff in Planning & Design Services can tell you whether your address is covered.
What is a Certificate of Appropriateness?
If you are in a local district, you’ll need a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) before replacing windows. It’s the city’s sign-off that the change fits the district’s historic character. The process starts with the preservation staff. They’ll walk you through the guidelines for your area and what they’ll want to see.
We’re happy to provide the product details, drawings and photos you’ll need for the application. But the COA is between you and the city. Don’t let anyone start work before you have it.
The city prefers repair first
I’ll be straight with you: Louisville’s preservation guidelines generally favor keeping and repairing original windows. Replacement is usually approved when the originals are too far gone, such as rotted sills and sashes, or frames that aren’t structurally sound.
We’re a replacement company. We don’t repair old windows. If yours can be saved and that’s what the district wants, a restoration specialist is the right call. When replacement is approved, that’s where we come in.
What historic-district replacement windows usually have to match
When replacement is allowed, the new windows need to look like the originals from the street. The window guidelines generally cover:
- The original opening. The new window has to fit the historic opening. You can’t shrink or block in an opening to fit a stock-size window. That lines up with how we already work: full-frame replacement in the existing opening, never an insert squeezed into the old frame.
- The grid pattern. If your originals have divided lights, the new ones need to match. With insulated glass, that usually means grids applied to both the inside and outside of the glass, so they have real depth instead of looking flat.
- How the window opens. Double-hung replaces double-hung, casement replaces casement.
- The glass. No tinted, smoked or mirrored glass on street-facing sides. Energy-efficient coatings are fine as long as the glass looks clear.
Every district has its own details, so treat this as a starting point, not the final word. The preservation staff has the last say.
What it looks like by house style
- Victorians (Old Louisville): Tall, narrow windows, often with detailed trim that has to be preserved around the new unit.
- Shotguns (Butchertown, Germantown, Portland): Narrow, vertical windows. Keeping those proportions matters.
- Tudor Revival: Often casements, sometimes with divided lites that need to be matched.
- Bungalows and foursquares: Commonly double-hungs with a grid pattern in the upper sash only.
Why the install matters even more on an old house
Old houses aren’t square. Openings have shifted, sills have rotted and there’s often a hundred years of paint on the trim. We take the old window out down to the rough opening, deal with any rot we find, insulate and seal the new frame, and trim it out to match. Our own crews do the work, not subcontractors, and the windows come with a lifetime warranty that transfers if you sell. That matters in neighborhoods where homes change hands and buyers ask about the windows.
If you’re weighing styles, our guide to casement windows and other types and our window types page are good places to start.
Planning a project in a historic neighborhood?
Call the city first to confirm whether you’re in a district. Then have us out to measure and give you a written price and the product details for your application. There’s no charge for the visit, and no pressure. See our window replacement page, check our current offers, or schedule a free in-home estimate.
