Kingswood · Gloucestershire
Lintel replacement in Kingswood
Rusting steel over the windows of a Kingswood home lifts and cracks the brickwork it carries. Replacing it involves propping or needling the wall, swapping in a new lintel and relaying the bricks to match.
Guide price from£770per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BS15, BS16
- Population
- about 41,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Gloucestershire prone to ground movement?
With roughly 41,000 people, Kingswood spans postcode districts BS15, BS16 in Gloucestershire. Neighbouring towns we cover: Keynsham (3 miles), Yate (7 miles) and Bath (8 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.
Repair options we may recommend
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
What to expect when we carry out lintel replacement
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.
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.
Is it time for lintel replacement? Common signs
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
What should you budget for lintel replacement in Kingswood?
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 |
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
What is the price of lintel replacement in Kingswood?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Kingswood 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 Kingswood?
We do. Kingswood and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Keynsham and Yate. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Kingswood 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.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Kingswood
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Brick arch repairs
Lintel replacement near Kingswood
If rust is showing above the windows of your Kingswood home, photograph it close up and we will tell you whether replacement is due.