Bootle · Merseyside
Lintel replacement in Bootle
If a window at your Bootle 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£720per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- L20, L21, L22
- Population
- about 58,000
- Area
- Merseyside
- Pricing region
- North West
What is the ground like in Merseyside?
With roughly 58,000 people, Bootle spans postcode districts L20, L21, L22 in Merseyside. We also take enquiries from nearby Wallasey (4 miles), Fazakerley (4 miles) and Liverpool (4 miles).
Merseyside has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Merseyside lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Merseyside: Victorian terraces and villas, inter-war council estates and post-war semis.
Which repair method suits a home in Bootle?
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
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 Bootle?
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.
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.
Signs you may need 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
How much will lintel replacement cost in Bootle?
The ranges below reflect typical North West 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 | £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.
Lintel replacement in Bootle: questions and answers
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Bootle?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Bootle 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.
Can you survey a property in Bootle?
We do. Bootle and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Wallasey and Fazakerley. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Merseyside crack?
Merseyside is mostly sandstone with glacial till on top, with soft coastal deposits in Sefton and the Lancashire coalfield extending under St Helens and parts of Knowsley. Old docks and industry left made ground in places. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Related work in Bootle
Lintel replacement near Bootle
For a Bootle lintel, the price is fixed in writing once the repair is specified, with building control included where the work needs it.