Plymouth · Devon
Lintel replacement in Plymouth
Bay windows on older houses around Plymouth often hide a timber lintel behind the face brickwork. When that timber rots, the bay brickwork drops and cracks, and replacing it properly means supporting the wall above throughout the job.
Guide price from£770per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PL1, PL3, PL4
- Population
- about 260,000
- Area
- Devon
- Pricing region
- South West
What should you know about the ground under Plymouth?
We cover Plymouth and its postcode districts PL1, PL3, PL4, part of Devon, with a population of roughly 260,000. If you are just outside Plymouth, we also cover Saltash (4 miles).
Most of Devon is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. What you mostly find across Devon: cob and stone cottages, Victorian terraces in Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay, and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about lintel replacement
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
Lintel replacement prices in Plymouth
These are guide prices for Plymouth, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 |
How we usually approach lintel replacement
Propping and needling
Adjustable props carry the wall above while the old lintel comes out. For heavier walls, short steel needles are passed through holes cut above the opening and propped on both sides, taking the load off the lintel completely. The supports stay until the new work has set.
Best for: Openings with heavy walls, upper floors or bay windows above
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 during lintel replacement, step by step?
Inspect the opening
We look at the crack pattern, the type of lintel and what sits above it. Pictures of both faces of the window, plus any visible lintel edge, help us judge it before visiting.
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.
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.
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.
Questions about lintel replacement in Plymouth
What is the price of lintel replacement in Plymouth?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Plymouth 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.
Do you carry out lintel replacement in Plymouth?
We do. Plymouth and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Saltash. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Plymouth cause cracking?
Devon's ground is mostly older mudstones, sandstones and granite, so shrinkable-clay subsidence is less widespread than further east. Older solid-walled and cob buildings, steep sites and retaining walls are the more common structural concerns. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Is it safe to live in the house during lintel replacement?
Yes, in almost all cases. The wall is fully supported before anything is removed, and the work is confined to one opening at a time. The affected room is sheeted against dust and kept clear while props are in place.
Can a lintel be replaced without removing the window?
Often yes. With the wall propped or needled, the old lintel can usually be cut out above the frame. If the frame has been carrying load or the lintel sits tight on it, the window may need removing and refitting, which we include in the quote.
More repairs we carry out in Plymouth
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Chimney stack repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Roof structure repairs
Lintel replacement near Plymouth
For a Plymouth lintel, the price is fixed in writing once the repair is specified, with building control included where the work needs it.