What is a lintel? Your guide to this essential structural support
If you’ve had a quotation for new windows or doors and then been told, following a structural survey, that you also need a new lintel, don’t worry – you’re certainly not alone, and it doesn’t mean you’re being sold something you don’t need.
A lintel is one of the most important and least talked about parts of your home’s structure. Most homeowners never think about it, until a survey reveals that theirs isn’t up to the job.
Here, we explain what a lintel is, what it means for your window or door installation if a lintel needs replacing and why older properties are often affected.
What is a lintel?
A lintel is a horizontal beam fitted above a window or door opening. Its job is to support the weight of the wall above the opening and transfer that load safely down through the surrounding brickwork.
Without a lintel, or with one that’s no longer fit for purpose, your window or door frame can end up bearing weight it was never designed to carry. Over time, this can lead to:
- Cracking in the brickwork above the opening
- Bowing or bulging masonry
- Doors and windows that stick or no longer close properly
- In serious cases, structural instability
In simple terms, a lintel is what stops the wall above your window or door from coming down. It’s a small component with a big responsibility.
Why do so many older properties have inadequate lintels?
This is where the issue can catch homeowners out. Lintels became a standard, regulated requirement for window and door openings relatively recently.
In many properties built in the 1950s and 1960s in particular, lintels are often:
- Missing altogether, with the window or door frame itself left to support the brickwork above
- Undersized for the span or load they’re carrying
- Made from timber or early steel, which can rot or corrode over time
- Corroded to the point of failure, with rusting steel expanding and cracking the surrounding masonry
The problem is that this usually isn’t visible from the outside. It’s only picked up during a structural survey, which typically takes place after a quotation for new windows or doors – once we can properly assess what’s behind the existing frame.
This is why some homeowners are surprised by the discovery and understandably frustrated by an additional cost they weren’t expecting.
What happens if my lintel needs replacing?
If a structural survey shows your existing lintel is missing, undersized or has failed, it’ll need to be replaced before your new windows or doors can be installed.
This is essential for your safety and the long-term structural integrity of your home.
Not replacing a required lintel can risk:
- Ongoing or worsening cracks in your walls
- Doors and windows that drop, stick or fail to seal properly
- Water ingress through compromised brickwork
- More serious – and more expensive – structural repairs further down the line
Do building regulations require this?
As FENSA-registered installers, we’re required to ensure that any lintel which isn’t strong enough for the installation is replaced as part of the work.
This applies to both windows and doors. Rather than it being a discretionary additional piece of work, recommended lintel replacement is a condition of compliant, safe installation, and it protects you as the homeowner too.
The good news is that we take care of everything
If your survey reveals that you need a new lintel, there’s no need to source a separate contractor or manage extra logistics.
Our experienced team will handle the entire process for you, from temporarily supporting the structure while the old lintel is removed, through to fitting the new one and making good the brickwork – all before your new windows or doors are installed.
It does mean a higher cost than initially quoted, but it ensures your new windows or doors are installed within a sound structure that’s built to last.
Lintel replacement – your questions answered
Why wasn’t this picked up before I received my quotation?
Our initial quotation is based on a visual assessment. The condition of a lintel can usually only be properly confirmed once our detailed structural survey takes place, as this involves closer inspection of the opening.
Does this apply to doors as well as windows?
Yes. Any structural opening – window or door – relies on an adequate lintel to support the wall above it, so the same rules apply.
Can I just leave the existing lintel as it is?
If our survey has identified that your lintel is inadequate, we wouldn’t recommend it. FENSA regulations require lintels that aren’t strong enough to be replaced – leaving a failing lintel in place risks structural damage further down the line. We will refuse to install new windows or doors if we believe this will leave your home in an unsafe condition.
How do I know if my lintel is failing?
Common signs include diagonal cracking above a window or door, rust staining on the brickwork, bulging or displaced brickwork, and doors or windows that have become difficult to open or close. However, a proper structural survey is the only reliable way to confirm the condition of your lintel.
How much does lintel replacement typically add to a project?
This varies depending on the size of the opening, the materials involved and the extent of the work required. Our team will always talk you through the cost and the process clearly before any work begins.
Will this delay my window or door installation?
Lintel replacement is usually carried out as part of the same overall project, so while it adds a step, our team plans this in to keep disruption and delays to a minimum.
Speak to our experienced team
If you’d like to know more about lintels, or you’ve been told yours needs replacing as part of your window or door project, our knowledgeable team is on hand to explain exactly what’s involved and why it’s needed.
Please call us on 01444 45 71 45 or visit our welcoming Haywards Heath showroom.