Melksham · Wiltshire
Lintel replacement in Melksham
Bay windows on older houses around Melksham 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£770per opening inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SN12
- Population
- about 19,000
- Area
- Wiltshire
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Wiltshire prone to ground movement?
Melksham is in Wiltshire and takes in postcode districts SN12. About 19,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Trowbridge (5 miles), Chippenham (6 miles) and Devizes (6 miles).
Parts of Wiltshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Wiltshire: stone cottages, railway terraces in Swindon, and large post-war and new-build estates.
Symptoms that point to lintel replacement
- A diagonal crack climbing away from a window head
- Brickwork above an opening visibly dipping in the middle
- Rust stains or flaking steel showing above the frame
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Melksham
The ranges below reflect typical South 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 | £770 – £2,600 | per opening |
| Wide or bay openingest. | £2,050 – £4,650 | per opening |
| Making good inside and outest. | £155 – £620 | per opening |
Methods for lintel replacement
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
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
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.
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
What is the price of lintel replacement in Melksham?
Guide prices for lintel replacement in Melksham start from about £770 per opening, including VAT, on South West 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 Melksham?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Melksham, including SN12, and from nearby places such as Trowbridge and Chippenham. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Melksham cause cracking?
Southern Wiltshire is chalk, while the north around Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge sits on Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays that are prone to seasonal movement near trees. Bath stone was mined underground around Corsham. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What does needling a wall mean?
Needling means passing short steel members through holes cut in the wall just above the opening and supporting them on props on both sides. The needles take the weight of the wall above, so the old lintel can be removed safely without any brickwork dropping.
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 Melksham
Lintel replacement near Melksham
For a Melksham lintel, the price is fixed in writing once the repair is specified, with building control included where the work needs it.