Lintel Outer Skin

[steveoelliott]

Hi all,

We purchased our house last year and I have some questions relating to lintels or rather the lack of in the outer skin. I know the house must have them on the inside as the chap fitting our blinds upstairs destroyed several drill bits getting into them.

On the lounge window, there is some cracking to the brickwork above the window which seems to have been crudely repaired at some point. It's my intention to have this wall re-pointed in the future but what is to stop the problem happening again? If the windows were changed in the future, surely some the bricks would come tumbling down (unless I'm being daft). Or at least great care / a brickie on standby to assist during the replacement.

On a window upstairs, there is just a single course above the window; the bricks aren't loose but as you can see they look to have caved slightly. There are a few loose bricks on the wall to the very top left of the picture with the upstairs window highlighted in red. I am also planning on having this wall re-pointed but I don't really know what they will be able do if anything with the bricks above the uPVC frame. It looks like they are attached to it somehow.

Thanks...

 

[23vc]

Don’t disagree with anything you’ve said. Not sure what the actual question is other than the only fix is to install outer skin lintels. You’re right about the single course below the soffit, you’d normally leave it out and have the window meet the soffit, which could be an option if you replace it.

 

[steveoelliott]

I'm guessing that whilst windows remain in place, there shouldn't be any imminent need to take action besides some cosmetic re-pointing?

I was just canvasing folks opinions really.

 

[^woody^]

Not sure that the question is, but the answer is fit lintels.

Pointing will just crack within weeks

 

[steveoelliott]

Thing is, the house clearly wasn't built wit them on the outer skin (they are on the inner skin). Does this issue arise because the windows were originally timber framed?

 

[^woody^]

Plastic windows are not able to support brickwork like timber or metal frames.

The bodgers in the window fitting game just throw these frames in because its too much trouble to do it properly and fit lintels.

 

[steveoelliott]

Noted if we still live here when these windows are replaced... I'm assuming there would be no need to plan to install a lintel prior. I know there must be a lintel on the inner skin.