Kippax · West Yorkshire
Lintel replacement in Kippax
If a window at your Kippax 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£710per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LS25, WF10
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- West Yorkshire
- Pricing region
- Yorkshire and the Humber
What is the ground like in West Yorkshire?
Postcode districts LS25, WF10 cover Kippax, a West Yorkshire town of about 16,000 people. If you are just outside Kippax, we also cover Castleford (3 miles), Pontefract (6 miles) and Leeds (8 miles).
Parts of West Yorkshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of West Yorkshire, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. Housing stock in West Yorkshire: Stone back-to-backs and terraces, mill housing, Victorian villas and post-war estates.
Repair options we may recommend
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
What to expect when we carry out lintel replacement
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 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.
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
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
What should you budget for lintel replacement in Kippax?
Guide prices below are for homes in Kippax, on Yorkshire and the Humber rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window or door opening | £710 – £2,400 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £1,900 – £4,300 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £140 – £570 | 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.
Your lintel replacement questions
How much should I budget for lintel replacement in Kippax?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Kippax start from about £710 per opening, including VAT, on Yorkshire and the Humber 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 Kippax?
We do. Kippax and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Castleford and Pontefract. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in West Yorkshire crack?
West Yorkshire lies largely on the Coal Measures, with shallow historic workings around Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees, and gritstone hills to the west. Steep sites mean retaining walls are common. 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.
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.
Related work in Kippax
- Floor joist repairs
- Underpinning
- Bowing wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
Lintel replacement near Kippax
If rust is showing above the windows of your Kippax home, photograph it close up and we will tell you whether replacement is due.