Cirencester · Gloucestershire
Lintel replacement in Cirencester
Bay windows on older houses around Cirencester 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
- GL7
- Population
- about 20,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Gloucestershire matter for lintel replacement?
Postcode districts GL7 cover Cirencester, a Gloucestershire town of about 20,000 people. Nearby, we also cover Stroud (10 miles), Cheltenham (13 miles) and Swindon (14 miles).
Parts of Gloucestershire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
Symptoms that point to lintel replacement
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Cirencester
The ranges below reflect typical South West costs for lintel replacement, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| 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 |
Methods for lintel replacement
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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of lintel replacement in Cirencester?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Cirencester 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 Cirencester?
Yes, Cirencester is covered, along with postcode districts GL7. We also cover nearby Stroud and Cheltenham.
Does the ground around Cirencester cause cracking?
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.
How long does it take to replace a lintel?
Most single lintels are replaced in one to two days. The props stay in until the mortar has gained enough strength, and wide bays or openings with both inner and outer lintels can take longer. The window can usually be used again once the supports come out.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Cirencester
- Subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Crack stitching
- Retaining wall repairs
Lintel replacement near Cirencester
You will get a no-obligation written quote for each Cirencester lintel, splitting out the lintel itself, the propping and the making good.