Saltash · Cornwall
Lintel replacement in Saltash
If a window at your Saltash property has started to stick and the brickwork above has dipped, the lintel is a likely suspect. Send pictures of both sides of the opening, and we will tell you what we think is happening.
Guide price from£770per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PL12
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Cornwall?
Saltash, Cornwall: about 16,000 residents across postcode districts PL12. Nearby places we cover include Plymouth (4 miles), Bodmin (22 miles) and St Austell (25 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Cornwall than in south-east England. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Across Cornwall, most homes are granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
How much will lintel replacement cost in Saltash?
For Saltash we use South West rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window or door opening | £770 – £2,600 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £2,050 – £4,650 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £155 – £620 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Saltash?
Like-for-like replacement
The failed lintel comes out and one of suitable type and size is bedded on mortar with adequate bearing at each end. Bricks above are relaid to match the original bond and the joints are pointed to blend with the surrounding wall.
Best for: Standard windows and doors with a single failed lintel
Replacement with a cavity tray
A damp-proof membrane is laid over the new lintel with stop ends and weep holes, so water running down the cavity is directed out rather than into the house. Many older lintels were installed without one, which is often why they failed.
Best for: Cavity walls with damp above windows
What happens when we carry out lintel replacement in Saltash?
Specify the replacement
We confirm the lintel type, length and bearing needed. For wide openings, bays or walls with unusual loads, an engineer may specify it, and where the repair needs an engineer’s design or sign-off we can arrange one.
Support the wall
Props or needles are set so the brickwork above carries no load on the old lintel. Windows are protected or temporarily removed where the work demands it, and the room inside is sheeted against dust.
Remove supports and make good
Once the mortar has gained strength, props and needles come out and their holes are made good. Pointing, reveals and plaster are finished, and the window is refitted or checked for smooth operation.
Signs you may need lintel replacement
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
Rules for lintel replacement in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Lintel replacement in Saltash: questions and answers
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Saltash?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Saltash start from about £770 per opening, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Saltash?
Yes, Saltash is covered, along with postcode districts PL12. We also cover nearby Plymouth and Bodmin.
Why do houses in Cornwall crack?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do I need building regulations approval to replace a lintel?
In England and Wales, replacing a lintel is structural work and building control will usually need to approve it. Rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We deal with building control where the work needs it, and include the cost in the quote.
What does needling a wall mean?
Needling means passing short steel members through holes cut in the wall just above the opening and supporting them on props on both sides. The needles take the weight of the wall above, so the old lintel can be removed safely without any brickwork dropping.
Related work in Saltash
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Lintel replacement near Saltash
For a Saltash lintel, the price is fixed in writing once the repair is specified, with building control included where the work needs it.