Replacing Windows - Lintel required?

[nsreglj]

I'm thinking of replacing the single glazed door and window frame at the back of my house with double glazed units. The door and wooden window frame go from floor level to within about a foot of the ceiling. Above that, and on the first floor the wall is a timber frame with plasterboad internally and tiles externally.

I've seen mention in building regs (but I can't remember where) that a lintel is required above door and windows frames, but I'm uncertain about what circumstances one is required by the regulations.

So is a lintel:

• *Require in all cases
  *Not required in this case
  *May be required, there's insufficient information to be certain

Thanks
Nigel

PS Its possible that there is a lintel already fitted, but I haven't found it, and given the house was built in the late '60s it probably wasn't a requirement

 

[DevilDamo]

Insulated lintels are provided within the external wall above window/door openings. Other lintels/beams can be used over internal windows/doors.

There "should" already be lintels over the windows/doors and providing you're not increasing the opening width, then you should be able to remove the existing single glazed unit and replace it with a double glazed unit.

If you are (as you say) just replacing old with new, then Building Control would really be interested...

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/en...orkcommondoorwindow/workmorebregsdoorswindows

If you were going to go down the route of increasing the existing opening widths, then new lintels may be required, which would again result in BC getting involved and then them looking into the structural implications.

 

[nsreglj]

DD,

Thanks. No, I'm not increasing the size of the opening, just replacing what's in it, and re-arranging things a bit I had a good look last weekend by lifting floor boards, and there isn't a lintel above the opening so I went over to the council offices on Monday and had a word with a BCO. They seemed to think that given the circumstances a lintel wasn't needed.

Nigel

 

[DevilDamo]

If there is no lintel, then what is supporting the load above?

 

[RonnyRaygun]

If there is no lintel, then what is supporting the load above?

Sounds like they've built a couple of courses of masonry off the frame then timber studwork to roof level?

You'll need to be very careful when the window and door are removed or you are going to lose the masonry above.

What type of frame are you replacing with? If UPVC they are not usually reinforced along the top so I wouldn't want to rely on a flimsy bit of plastic to support anything. I'd put in a small Catnic lintel unless the double glazing installers can gaurantee the frames will be able to support the load above.

 

[nsreglj]

[quote="RonnyRaygun";p="1688123
Sounds like they've built a couple of courses of masonry off the frame then timber studwork to roof level?
[/quote]

There's no masonry above the ground floor windows - just timber studwork/plasterboard/plywood all the way up to the first floor windows, and those reach to the roof level. I'll need to cut a couple of holes in the plaster board to check that the studwork above the ground floor windows is secured to the walls, and not just resting on the frames below.

Yes, I was thinking of UPVC .

Nigel

 

[RonnyRaygun]

You won't need a lintel then. The plywood on the studwork will act as a diaphragm and the stud wall will easily span over the doors without a lintel.

Hence the reason no lintel was installed during construction.