Dover · Kent
Lintel replacement in Dover
A lintel problem in Dover, as anywhere, usually shows first as a crack climbing from the corner of a window. We look at what is actually spanning the opening, whether timber, steel, concrete or brick, and what has made it fail.
Guide price from£840per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT14, CT16, CT17
- Population
- about 42,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Is Kent prone to ground movement?
Dover, Kent: about 42,000 residents across postcode districts CT14, CT16, CT17. Nearby places we cover include Folkestone (7 miles), Deal (8 miles) and Canterbury (15 miles).
Much of Kent sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
Which repair method suits a home in Dover?
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 happens when we carry out lintel replacement in Dover?
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
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
How much will lintel replacement cost in Dover?
The ranges below reflect typical South East 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 | £840 – £2,800 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £2,250 – £5,050 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £170 – £670 | 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.
Lintel replacement in Dover: questions and answers
How much will lintel replacement cost in Dover?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Dover start from about £840 per opening, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Dover?
Yes, Dover is covered, along with postcode districts CT14, CT16, CT17. We also cover nearby Folkestone and Deal.
Is the ground in Kent prone to subsidence?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. 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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Dover
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Subsidence repairs
Lintel replacement near Dover
For a Dover lintel, the price is fixed in writing once the repair is specified, with building control included where the work needs it.