Kettering · Northamptonshire
Lintel replacement in Kettering
Lintels over existing windows and doors in Kettering homes are replaced one opening at a time, with the wall fully supported. Inside, rooms stay usable, with dust sheeting and making good included where you need it.
Guide price from£735per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NN15, NN16
- Population
- about 57,000
- Area
- Northamptonshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Is Northamptonshire prone to ground movement?
Postcode districts NN15, NN16 cover Kettering, a Northamptonshire town of about 57,000 people. We also take enquiries from nearby Wellingborough (7 miles), Corby (7 miles) and Rushden (9 miles).
Much of Northamptonshire sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Historic ironstone working has left disturbed ground in places. Housing stock in Northamptonshire: Ironstone and limestone cottages, Victorian terraces in Northampton and Kettering, and new-town estates in Corby.
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Kettering
For Kettering we use East Midlands rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
Methods for 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
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to lintel replacement
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Kettering?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Kettering start from about £735 per opening, including VAT, on East Midlands 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 Kettering?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Kettering, including NN15, NN16, and from nearby places such as Wellingborough and Corby. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Northamptonshire crack?
Northamptonshire sits largely on Lias clay and Jurassic ironstones and limestones, with historic ironstone quarrying around Corby and Kettering. The clay vales are prone to shrinkage near trees. 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.
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 Kettering
- Subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Brick arch repairs
- Concrete repairs
Lintel replacement near Kettering
Have several failed lintels on one Kettering property? We will price each opening individually so you can plan the work in stages.