Stockport · Greater Manchester
Lintel replacement in Stockport
Bay windows on older houses around Stockport 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£720per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SK1, SK3, SK4
- Population
- about 140,000
- Area
- Greater Manchester
- Pricing region
- North West
How do local ground conditions affect lintel replacement in Stockport?
Stockport, Greater Manchester: about 140,000 residents across postcode districts SK1, SK3, SK4. Neighbouring towns we cover: Cheadle Hulme (3 miles), Hyde (4 miles) and Manchester (6 miles).
Greater Manchester has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Greater Manchester, most homes are red-brick terraces, mill-town stone terraces, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
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
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
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to lintel replacement
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Stockport
These are guide prices for Stockport, using North 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 | £720 – £2,400 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £1,900 – £4,300 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £145 – £575 | 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of lintel replacement in Stockport?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Stockport start from about £720 per opening, including VAT, on North 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 Stockport?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Stockport, including SK1, SK3, SK4, and from nearby places such as Cheadle Hulme and Hyde. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Stockport cause cracking?
Greater Manchester is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Lancashire coalfield beneath much of Wigan, Bolton, Salford and parts of the east. Historic mine workings, made ground and old mill sites are common. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
How do I know if a lintel has failed?
The most common sign is a diagonal or stepped crack running up from the top corner of a window or door. Others include a dip in the brickwork above, rust or rot visible at the lintel edge, and windows that start to stick. A crack alone can have other causes, so it is worth checking.
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 Stockport
- Subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Lintel replacement near Stockport
You will get a no-obligation written quote for each Stockport lintel, splitting out the lintel itself, the propping and the making good.