Bricking up bodged window installation

Hi,

About 20 years ago my father had one of those steel double glazing windows installed in the kitchen. Its about 1m wide by 1/2m high. We live in terraced house and the kitchen is downstairs (all that just for info).

We had it done by a friend of ours who must have told my father he knew what he was doing.

I have now realized that he probably didn't

Where he made the hole in the wall for the window, I am almost sure he should have used a lintel across the top of the window which should be visible from the outside - but he didn't. There is just a line of bricks which he used to fill in the remaining gap after installing the window.

The result is that there is now a long crack in the in side wall from about the ceiling of the kitchen to the window (ie in the plaster). This is I guess because there is no lintel. It is also visible from the outside but it is not as obvious as from the inside.

We now want to brick the window up because a) the problem mentioned above; b) it dont look that good anymore (rest of the house is uPVC dg) and c) we have a chance to fit a new kitchen.

Can I just have it bricked up? or should I put a lintel in prior to bricking up (mainly to prevent further movement of the wall when the window is removed).

Would there be problems in fitting a replacement window (ie different size and or location on same wall).

Bhupesh

Reply to
bp_soni
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[T] Is it possible he used something like a Catnic lintel that may not be obvious from the outside (look for what looks like a flat thin strip of metal along the top of the window)

There *could* be a lintel but it may not have been fitted properly or that there has been some movement in the house anyway? (not uncommon these days as the water table drops?).

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

The purpose of a lintel is to support the brickwork and other structure above the window. If you brick up the opening, the new brickwork will provide the necessary support without needing a lintel.

If you find that there *is * already a lintel which - as someone else has already suggested - may not be obvious from the outside, there's no need to remove it - just brick up to the underside of it.

If you want to fit a window which is wider than the existing one, or in a different position, you'll need a new lintel. If there *is* already a lintel, and you want to replace the window with one of the same width and top position, but extending down further, you just need to lower the cill.

Depending on what you do, you may need building regs approval. It's as well to have a word with one of the building inspectors at your local council. They will advise you.

Reply to
Set Square

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