Hitchin · Hertfordshire
Lintel replacement in Hitchin
Bay windows on older houses around Hitchin 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£790per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SG6
- Population
- about 35,000
- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
What should you know about the ground under Hitchin?
We cover Hitchin and its postcode districts SG6, part of Hertfordshire, with a population of roughly 35,000. If you are just outside Hitchin, we also cover Letchworth Garden City (3 miles), Stevenage (5 miles) and Luton (7 miles).
Much of Hertfordshire sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Hertfordshire, most homes are garden-city houses in Letchworth and Welwyn, 1930s semis, Victorian terraces and post-war new-town estates.
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Hitchin
Prices in Hitchin are worked out on East of England rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window or door opening | £790 – £2,600 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £2,100 – £4,700 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £160 – £630 | 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.
Specify the replacement
We confirm the lintel type, length and bearing needed. For wide openings, bays or walls with unusual loads, an engineer may specify it, and where the repair needs an engineer’s design or sign-off we can arrange one.
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
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
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 Hitchin?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Hitchin start from about £790 per opening, including VAT, on East of England 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 Hitchin?
We do. Hitchin and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Letchworth Garden City and Stevenage. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Hitchin cause cracking?
South Hertfordshire around Watford, Borehamwood and Potters Bar is London Clay, while the north and west are chalk with clay-with-flints and the east has boulder clay. The clay areas are prone to seasonal subsidence near trees. 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Hitchin
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Floor joist repairs
- Crack stitching
- Extension pulling away repairs
Lintel replacement near Hitchin
Our quote tool shows guide prices for a Hitchin lintel replacement; add photos and we can confirm the likely opening size and type.