Folkestone · Kent
Lintel replacement in Folkestone
If a window at your Folkestone property has started to stick and the brickwork above has dipped, the lintel is a likely suspect. Send pictures of both sides of the opening, and we will tell you what we think is happening.
Guide price from£840per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CT19, CT20
- Population
- about 66,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
What should you know about the ground under Folkestone?
Postcode districts CT19, CT20 cover Folkestone, a Kent town of about 66,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Dover (7 miles), Ashford (13 miles) and Deal (14 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Kent. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Kent: Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
How much will lintel replacement cost in Folkestone?
Prices in Folkestone are worked out on South East 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 | £840 – £2,800 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £2,250 – £5,050 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £170 – £670 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Folkestone?
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
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
What happens when we carry out lintel replacement in Folkestone?
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 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.
Signs you may need lintel replacement
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
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 Folkestone: questions and answers
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Folkestone?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Folkestone 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.
Can you survey a property in Folkestone?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Folkestone, including CT19, CT20, and from nearby places such as Dover and Ashford. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Kent crack?
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.
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.
Related work in Folkestone
- Crack stitching
- Concrete repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Lintel replacement near Folkestone
You will get a no-obligation written quote for each Folkestone lintel, splitting out the lintel itself, the propping and the making good.