Lintel

[whiskeryron]

My daughter & her husband have put their house up for sale & the prospective purchaser's surveyor has noted that the front lounge d/g window has been installed without a lintel. Would this be a major operation & would the window have to be removed in order to install a lintel ?. When first putting the d/g window in (before my daughter moved in) how would the fitters remove & install the new window without the front wall collapsing ?.

WR.

[whiskeryron]

// jth, When you say 'end on bricks' I assumed you meant a vertical soldier course......was I correct//
No, I do not know the correct term, we can see bricks 'end on' which I suppose means horizontal.

WR.

[jackthehat]

I think Jake's link probably holds the answer......

[The Builder]

Need a few more answers, Ron. First, I guess this is 2-storey, and we're talking about a downstairs room. In the dim past, it was quite normal to have no lintels over upstairs windows. The roof framing spanned easily.

Assuming 2-storey, if you have a solid wall (no cavity), then an external flat, brick arch could be supporting the inner part of the wall. Not ideal, but not quite so onerous.

!930s, I would assume it is cavity though. I see what Jack was after. A brick "soldier" arch externally (bricks standing up on end) would support the external leaf.......... but not the internal. That's why the lintel is needed.

Back in the 30s, large picture windows or bay windows were constructed to be partly structural. That is, the timber sections were such that the frame could support a load. I'm guessing that the DG Company took the window out and replaced with modern uPVC.

Modern uPVC windows are not usually structural. This is where the problem arises.
Inserting a lintel above the window is no big problem....... providing there is enough distance between the top of the window and the ceiling.

[whiskeryron]

// The Builder,
Need a few more answers, Ron. First, I guess this is 2-storey, and we're talking about a downstairs room//. Yes. Cavity wall rubble filled. Above downstairs window a single row of 21 bricks horizontally laid ( showing brick ends) then normal bricks above.

WR.

[The Builder]

Yes, I thought that might be it. The brick "headers" are carrying both inner and outer masonry.
As I mentioned, an easy enough job to fit a lintel retrospectively, providing there is room between the underside of the headers, and the ceiling.

[The Builder]

^^^^ ............ no, er, that's as clear as mud isn't it? :o(

Obviously, the window is up tight to the underside of the headers, so no room for a lintel.

In that case I would fit a length of steel angel ( L-shaped steel... approx 125mm x 125mm )
A slot between bricks and window would be cut. Then the steel slotted in. The upstand of the steel would then be covered with plasterboard and skim.

If that all makes sense?

[The Builder]

^^^^ steel ANGLE for heaven's sake............ :o(((

[jackthehat]

You corrected yourself just before I got in with this, TB........

I *was* wondering quite how you'd cut it in. :o)

http://www.picturesofgateshead.co.uk/angel_of_the_north/angel27.jpg

[The Builder]

Haha ........... that would take some letting in Jack ;o)

[whiskeryron]

To The Builder. Thanks very much that's a great help & gives us an excellent indication of exactly what's involved.

Ron.