Cardiff · South Glamorgan
Lintel replacement in Cardiff
A lintel problem in Cardiff, as anywhere, usually shows first as a crack climbing from the corner of a window. We look at what is actually spanning the opening, whether timber, steel, concrete or brick, and what has made it fail.
Guide price from£690per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CF10, CF11, CF24
- Population
- about 370,000
- Area
- South Glamorgan
- Pricing region
- Wales
Is South Glamorgan prone to ground movement?
Cardiff is in South Glamorgan and takes in postcode districts CF10, CF11, CF24. About 370,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Penarth (3 miles), Caerphilly (7 miles) and Barry (7 miles).
South Glamorgan has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in South Glamorgan: Victorian terraces in Cardiff and Penarth, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
Is it time for lintel replacement? Common signs
- Damp patches on the inside wall just above a window
- Soft, crumbly timber visible behind the brick face over a bay
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
What should you budget for lintel replacement in Cardiff?
These are guide prices for Cardiff, using Wales 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
What to expect when we carry out lintel replacement
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.
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.
Rules for lintel replacement in Wales
In Wales, the Welsh version of the Building Regulations applies. Underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control approval and inspection; like-for-like repairs often do not. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies to work on party walls and excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations.
Your lintel replacement questions
How much will lintel replacement cost in Cardiff?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Cardiff start from about £690 per opening, including VAT, on Wales rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Cardiff?
We do. Cardiff and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Penarth and Caerphilly. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in South Glamorgan prone to subsidence?
Cardiff is built on Mercia Mudstone, river gravels and alluvium, and the Vale of Glamorgan on Lias limestone and clay. Soft alluvium near the rivers and docks can settle. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Cardiff
- Chimney stack repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Lintel replacement near Cardiff
Our quote tool shows guide prices for a Cardiff lintel replacement; add photos and we can confirm the likely opening size and type.