Leicestershire · England
Lintel replacement in Leicestershire
If you live in Leicestershire and are looking at lintel replacement, the first question is why the wall moved. Leicestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others; parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause.
Guide price from£735per opening inc VAT
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
- Ground
- Clay in parts
- Towns listed
- 9
What should you know about the ground under Leicestershire?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons.
Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Leicestershire: Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
What happens during lintel replacement, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about lintel replacement
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
Lintel replacement prices in Leicestershire
Prices in Leicestershire are worked out on East Midlands 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 | £735 – £2,450 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £1,950 – £4,400 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £145 – £590 | per opening |
How we usually approach lintel replacement
Propping and needling
Adjustable props carry the wall above while the old lintel comes out. For heavier walls, short steel needles are passed through holes cut above the opening and propped on both sides, taking the load off the lintel completely. The supports stay until the new work has set.
Best for: Openings with heavy walls, upper floors or bay windows above
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
Do you need approval 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.
Towns in Leicestershire we cover for lintel replacement
Questions about lintel replacement in Leicestershire
Is the ground in Leicestershire prone to subsidence?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.
How much will lintel replacement cost in Leicestershire?
On East Midlands rates, lintel replacement starts from about £735 per opening, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
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.
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.
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.