Should I be worried?

[Steve]

I have attached photos for clarity. The majority are of the 2-storey addition that was built in the 80's, to our 1960's semi that was very poorly built.

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• Steve
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

The left wall is original house.

I should point out, the bottom floor of the extension (right) was originally a garage, now living room (back door bricked up, window extended down to give views of back garden)

What doesn't look right to me is that the lintel that would have been above the door looks like it doesn't go into the brickwork at the left. Also looks a bit odd that they cut half a brick under the lintel.

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• Steve
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

Far right of the window. Lintel doesn't appear to go far enough into the brickwork. Only a third of a brick??

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• Steve
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

Close up of crack running through brickwork.

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• Steve
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

Crack from a distance. Should we be worried? Pointings shocking isnt it?

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• Steve
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

Kitchen window in original house. Replaced 2 years ago. Whats worrying is that row of header bricks. Whats holding them up??? Again, gotta love the pointing. Or lack thereof.

Is there anything I should be worried about?

 

[gregers]

i could be wrong,but do you not get fumes comming in from the boiler flue?
and yes the pointings is crap.

 

[Steve]

i could be wrong,but do you not get fumes comming in from the boiler flue?

BG have complained numerous times that the window should be non-openable. But we never had any probs.

 

[noseall]

older buildings did not have an external lintel.

there would be a cast-in-situ concrete lintel internally sometimes with tie wires cast into the lintel to help tie in the outer course. the outer course would then be built straight off the window.

this was possible with the old wooden windows with strong central mullions.

is there any evidence of an external lintel?

 

[stuart45]

If there is no lintel you may have a problem. When plastic frames were first being fitted the brickwork often dropped slightly over a period of time and put enough pressure on the plastic to crack the glass or stop the casement from opening properly. When window companies realised their mistake they started making sure that the brickwork was properly supported.

 

[Steve]

Kitchen window (one with no lintel) was fitted by Yorkshire windows, cost about £500 IIRC. Got a 10 year guarantee on it apparently. There is no edivence of an external lintel above it.

I'm just looking now, wondering why it appears to have been (badly) repointed above the window. Possibly been replaced before and it dropped? When the guy fitted this window, he spent a long time with a sawzall removing the old wooden window. I doubt it was the original, but it was securely fixed!

 

[bikerm4]

The soldier courses above the windows are built on 100mm angle iron. If you look carefully you can see the edge of it set back slightly above the window.

 

[noseall]

The soldier courses above the windows are built on 100mm angle iron. If you look carefully you can see the edge of it set back slightly above the window.

there is evidence of something on the newer part of the building but i can see no evidence on the older part.

whether it is an angle iron or not i could not say. it does look like painted steel, but i could not bet my mortgage.

 

[Steve]

The soldier courses above the windows are built on 100mm angle iron. If you look carefully you can see the edge of it set back slightly above the window.

there is evidence of something on the newer part of the building but i can see no evidence on the older part.

whether it is an angle iron or not i could not say. it does look like painted steel, but i could not bet my mortgage.

On the extension, yes, there is a steel something there. You can see it poking out above the window. The bricks are built on this.

On the old part of the house there is no lintel.

 

[stuart45]

Keep your eye on the soldier course and see if it drops. It looks like it has already a little. You might not get any trouble with it, but if you do its not a really big job to stick an angle iron in.