Christchurch · Dorset
Lintel replacement in Christchurch
If a window at your Christchurch 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
- BH6, BH7, BH23
- Population
- about 31,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
What should you know about the ground under Christchurch?
We cover Christchurch and its postcode districts BH6, BH7, BH23, part of Dorset, with a population of roughly 31,000. Nearby places we cover include Bournemouth (4 miles), New Milton (5 miles) and Ferndown (7 miles).
Dorset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Dorset: Stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Repair options we may recommend
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
Inner and outer lintel replacement
Solid walls and some cavity walls carry separate lintels on the inside and outside faces. Where both have failed, each is replaced in turn, keeping the wall supported throughout. Internal plaster and reveals are then made good and redecorated where included.
Best for: Older solid walls with rotten timber across the inner face
What to expect when we carry out lintel replacement
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.
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 and replace
Brickwork is carefully taken out above the lintel, the old lintel removed and the new one bedded level on full bearings. A cavity tray goes in where relevant, then the brickwork above is relaid.
Is it time for lintel replacement? Common signs
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
What should you budget for lintel replacement in Christchurch?
For Christchurch 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 |
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.
Your lintel replacement questions
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Christchurch?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Christchurch 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 Christchurch?
Yes, Christchurch is covered, along with postcode districts BH6, BH7, BH23. We also cover nearby Bournemouth and New Milton.
Why do houses in Dorset crack?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What is a cavity tray and do I need one?
A cavity tray is a damp-proof membrane above a lintel that catches water running down inside a cavity wall and sends it out through weep holes. If your wall is cavity construction and the original lintel had no tray, fitting one with the new lintel is usually sensible.
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.
Related work in Christchurch
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Brick arch repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Bowing wall repairs
Lintel replacement near Christchurch
Our quote tool shows guide prices for a Christchurch lintel replacement; add photos and we can confirm the likely opening size and type.