Lintel and window head repair in Glossop
Cracked gritstone heads and failing lintels over Glossop windows and doors. We support the wall, replace what has failed and rebuild the stone or brick to match.
- 18 years in the trade
- Free quotes
- Gritstone heads
- Lime pointing to finish
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
Stone lintels in a wet climate
Glossop's gritstone terraces and mill cottages usually have a single piece of stone spanning each window and door. Gritstone is tough, but a long head can crack across its middle, and in a wet hill climate the crack lets water in for frost to work on.
Our lintel repair and replacement work starts by supporting the wall above. A cracked head may be kept with a new lintel fitted behind it, or replaced where it has dropped or broken up. Either way the masonry above is rebuilt and pointed to match.
Stone walls in this climate are best pointed in lime, which our lime and mortar pointing service covers, and our page on repointing in Glossop explains why. The lintel guide sets out each step.
Lintel prices in Glossop
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 |
What rain and frost do to stone heads
A stone head works by spanning between two bearings, and any crack across it turns one beam into two weaker pieces. In a wet climate, water sits in that crack for long spells and freezes in winter, so the gap widens each year. The bearings at each end can also wash out if the joints have failed.
Mill cottages often have a second, inner lintel of timber carrying the inside of a thick wall. Where the walls stay damp, that timber can rot unseen while the stone head outside looks fine. We check the inside of the opening for cracked plaster or sagging, and price the inner lintel too if it needs replacing.
Signs on stone openings
- Crack straight through a stone head
- One half of a head lower than the other
- Joints washed out at the head bearings
- Cracked plaster above the window inside
- Stones above the opening loosening
- Window frame squeezed at the top
How a stone head is dealt with
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Send photos
Show us the head, both ends and the crack. We will say whether it can stay or must go.
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Support the wall
Props and needles take the weight of the stone above the opening.
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Repair or replace
A new lintel is fitted behind a sound head, or the broken head is replaced.
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Rebuild in lime
Stone is relaid and pointed in lime, then props come out when it has set.
A stone window head restored
What a Glossop lintel job includes
- Inside and outside of the opening checked
- Wall propped before stone comes out
- Cracked head kept or replaced
- New lintel to carry the load
- Inner timber lintel checked
- Masonry rebuilt to match
- Lime pointing around the opening
- Supports removed and area cleared
Lintel work in places near Glossop
Other lintel pages in this area.
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
Glossop lintel and stone head questions
How much does a new lintel cost in Glossop?
We price by length, and the figure covers both the inner and outer lintel. For 1 to 1.5 metres the price is £1,850 and for over 2.5 up to 3 metres it is £2,750, or £1,375 if just the outer stone head needs replacing. Stone heads to source, scaffold or upstairs openings raise the figure, all shown in your written quote.
Can a cracked gritstone head be kept?
Often, if both halves are still level and the stone is not breaking up. We fit a lintel behind it to take the load and point the crack so it stays dry. If it has dropped, it is usually better to replace it.
Why has my window head cracked when the house has stood for so long?
Stone heads can crack from slow settlement, rusting fixings, or frost working into a small fault over many winters. In a wet climate that last cause is common.
Will the stonework around the window match after the repair?
We reuse the original stones where they are sound and source similar stone for any that are broken. Pointing in a lime mix with a matching sand helps it blend in.
Should lintel work wait for drier weather?
Lime pointing around the opening needs protecting from frost and heavy rain, so timing matters in a wet climate. Urgent lintel failures can still be propped and dealt with, and we cover the fresh work.
Have your Glossop window head checked
Send a photo on WhatsApp or call and we will give you a free price.