Lintel repair in Chester
Failing window and door heads on Chester's older brick and sandstone houses and Victorian terraces, repaired with care so the character of the wall is kept.
- 18 years in the trade
- Free quotes
- Period openings handled
- Timber lintels replaced
Get a free quote
Send us the details on WhatsApp, or by email if you prefer. We reply with a price or a time to visit.
Prefer to talk? Call 07487 625926
Older openings need a careful hand
In historic buildings the head over a window might be a sandstone block, a shallow brick arch or even an old timber beam behind the face. Each was built to last a long time, but water, rot and settlement eventually catch up with all of them.
Our lintel repair service starts by finding out what is actually carrying the wall. We then prop it and replace only what has failed, keeping original stone and brick wherever it is sound. The guide to lintel repair explains the process.
Older walls usually need a softer mortar when they are made good, which is where our lime pointing comes in. We also cover repointing in Chester if the rest of the house needs attention.
Lintel prices in Chester
Priced by lintel length. Move the slider to match your opening and send it to us.
Each price covers the inside and outside lintel, propping, rebuilding the brickwork above and pointing to match. If only one side needs doing, it is half price. Openings under 1 metre or over 4 metres are priced from photos.
See every lintel price
| Lintel length | Inside and out | One side only |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 1.5 metres | £1,850 | £925 |
| 1.5 to 2 metres | £2,150 | £1,075 |
| 2 to 2.5 metres | £2,450 | £1,225 |
| 2.5 to 3 metres | £2,750 | £1,375 |
| 3 to 3.5 metres | £3,150 | £1,575 |
| 3.5 to 4 metres | £3,450 | £1,725 |
Historic brick, sandstone and Victorian terraces
Chester has historic brick and sandstone buildings alongside its Victorian terraces. In the oldest walls, timber lintels behind the face are common, and over time rot or beetle can weaken them without much showing outside until the brickwork above drops.
On Victorian terraces the heads are more often brick arches or sandstone. Sandstone splits along its layers if water gets behind it, while arches loosen when their joints wash out. We repair them in lime so the new work moves and breathes like the old.
Signs over a period window or door
- Brickwork dropping over an old timber head
- Sandstone head flaking or split
- Arch joints opening up
- Frame pushed out of square
- Soft or rotten timber visible inside
- Cracked render above an opening
How we approach a period lintel
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Find the cause
Photos and a visit if needed show us what is carrying the wall.
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Support carefully
Props are set so old masonry is held without extra strain.
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Replace what failed
Rotten timber or cracked stone is replaced with a sound new lintel.
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Make good in lime
Original materials are reused and pointed to match the wall.
A period head repaired
What Chester lintel work includes
- Assessment of the head and wall
- Careful propping of old masonry
- Failed timber, stone or arch removed
- New lintel sized for the opening
- Original stone or brick reused
- Lime mortar for older walls
- Joints matched in colour and finish
- Props and waste cleared away
Nearby lintel repair pages
Other lintel pages close to Chester.
Our services
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Brick repointing
Failing joints raked out and refilled in mortar matched to your brick.
Find out more -
Lime and mortar pointing
Breathable lime or matched mortar for Victorian, Edwardian and older homes.
Find out more -
Lintel repair and replacement
Cracked or sagging window and door heads propped, replaced and rebuilt.
Find out more -
Brickwork repairs
Spalled, cracked and loose bricks cut out and replaced to match.
Find out more -
Bricklaying
Garden walls, boundary walls, piers and small brickwork builds.
Find out more -
Not sure what you need?
Send a photo of the wall and we will tell you what it needs.
Get a free quote
Guides
Lintel questions for Chester homes
My house has a timber lintel. Does it need replacing?
Not always. If the timber is dry and solid it may be fine, but rot or a sagging head means it should be replaced. A photo and a poke with a screwdriver will tell us a lot.
Can you keep the look of an old sandstone window head?
Where possible we reuse the original stone as a facing, with a new lintel carrying the load behind it. If the stone has failed badly, we talk you through options to keep the look.
What is the price of a lintel in Chester?
Lintels from 1 to 1.5 metres are £1,850 and the bands go up to £3,450 for 3.5 to 4 metres. Period stonework, lime mortar, scaffold and extra rebuilding can take the price beyond those bands. Each price is for the lintel on both sides of the wall, and a one-side job is half, from £925.
My house is listed. Can you still do the work?
If your building is listed or in a conservation area, you may need consent before changing structural parts. Check with your council first, and we will work to what they agree.
Why use lime when rebuilding above a lintel?
Old walls were built in lime, and new work should match so it moves and dries in the same way. Cement next to soft brick or stone can cause damage later on.
Get advice on your window head
Free lintel quotes in Chester. Send photos or call.