Cheltenham · Gloucestershire
Lintel replacement in Cheltenham
If a window at your Cheltenham 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
- GL50, GL51, GL53
- Population
- about 120,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
What should you know about the ground under Cheltenham?
Cheltenham (GL50, GL51, GL53) has around 120,000 residents and sits in Gloucestershire. Nearby, we also cover Tewkesbury (7 miles), Gloucester (7 miles) and Stroud (12 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Gloucestershire. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
What happens when we carry out lintel replacement in Cheltenham?
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 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
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
How much will lintel replacement cost in Cheltenham?
Guide prices below are for homes in Cheltenham, on South West rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| 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 Cheltenham?
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
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
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 Cheltenham: questions and answers
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Cheltenham?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham?
We do. Cheltenham and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Tewkesbury and Gloucester. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Gloucestershire crack?
The Severn vale around Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury is Lias and Mercia Mudstone clay, the Cotswolds are limestone, and the Forest of Dean has a historic coalfield. Parts of South Gloucestershire around Kingswood also lie on old Coal Measures. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Related work in Cheltenham
Lintel replacement near Cheltenham
You will get a no-obligation written quote for each Cheltenham lintel, splitting out the lintel itself, the propping and the making good.