Replacing garage window with door / window - advice please!

[kamoshika]

We've got a garage built in the back corner of our garden, that at some stage has been linked to the house by a single storey extension built between them. Originally there would have been direct access from the garage into the garden, but now the only way is through the adjoining room, which is a bit of a pain. I want to replace one of the windows (picture below) with a door and a smaller window.

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The wall is a single skin block work construction, rendered on the outside, and the gap between the damp-proof layer and the concrete lintel above the window is just right to take a standard sized door frame. What I am thinking of doing is taking out the window; cutting out a section of the block work to take the door frame; fitting a wooden pillar between the lintel and the corner of the remaining wall; fit standard timber door / frame and a made to fit UPVC framed window. The picture below might make it clearer what I mean, with the pillar marked in blue.

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What I'd like to know is do you think this is a sensible approach? If so, what would be the best way of securing the pillar? My thought to use metal angle brackets / plates to secure either side of the pillar at the top and bottom, but I've read conflicting advice on drilling into lintels. What alternatives would you suggest if this isn't the best approach.

Thanks for reading this far and for any advice you can offer!

 

[leew2]

Do you even need a pillar? just join the window direct to the door frame?

Something you could do, to save the cost of a new window is to use an angle grinder to cut the existing window just to the right of the left hand mulluion leaving the left hand row of panes in place, this will leave a gap of about 978mm (assuming the window is a standard HD4F crittall window at 1486x1218). A door frame maybe slightly narrower than this so just screw a piece of wood to the side of the frame then drill though the crittall frame one you have installed the doorframe and screw it togeather.

 

[kamoshika]

Thanks for the reply. That's an option I guess - leaving out the pillar, I just thought I need to attach to the lintel at some point, and that seemed an easier option than trying to attach the door or window frames. Thinking about it do I need to attahc to the lintel at all? Would the combination of door frame and window frame be rigid enough, if they're joined together securely? After all you can fit windows with a wider span than that, and they aren't screwed into the lintel.

Nice idea to reuse the window, but to be honest I think it would be more trouble than it's worth. It's in pretty poor condition - glass panes falling out etc, and a UPVC unit isn't going to cost that much I don't think.

 

[keveljay]

As Leew2 says, dont bother using a pillar just create a combination, or flag frame using a 3mm jointing strip between the window and the door frames and use a few head fixings to sure it up at the top. Should look great when finished. Post some piccies when done