Hexham · Northumberland
Lintel replacement in Hexham
Bay windows on older houses around Hexham often hide a timber lintel behind the face brickwork. When that timber rots, the bay brickwork drops and cracks, and replacing it properly means supporting the wall above throughout the job.
Guide price from£690per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE46
- Population
- about 12,000
- Area
- Northumberland
- Pricing region
- North East
Why does the ground in Northumberland matter for lintel replacement?
Hexham is in Northumberland and takes in postcode districts NE46. About 12,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Consett (13 miles), Blaydon-on-Tyne (15 miles) and Whickham (17 miles).
Parts of Northumberland have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Northumberland lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Northumberland, most homes are colliery terraces, stone farmhouses and villages, and post-war estates.
Lintel replacement prices in Hexham
These are guide prices for Hexham, using North East rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window or door opening | £690 – £2,300 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £1,850 – £4,150 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £140 – £550 | 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
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 during lintel replacement, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about lintel replacement
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Window or door frames that have started to bind or distort
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
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.
Questions about lintel replacement in Hexham
What is the price of lintel replacement in Hexham?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Hexham start from about £690 per opening, including VAT, on North East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out lintel replacement in Hexham?
Yes, Hexham is covered, along with postcode districts NE46. We also cover nearby Consett and Blaydon-on-Tyne.
Does the ground around Hexham cause cracking?
South-east Northumberland around Blyth, Ashington and Cramlington lies on the Northumberland coalfield, worked extensively in the past, under a cover of glacial clay. The north and west are hard rock and moorland. 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Hexham
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Lintel replacement near Hexham
Send photos of the cracked or sagging opening at your Hexham home for a free initial assessment and an honest view on the lintel.