I think your best option is replacement. You can get second-hand surrounds from a reclamation or architectural salvage yard but they might be expensive. I have been quoted £850 for the lintel, sill and jambs for a window one metre wide by 1.2 metres high. New stone will come in at about £420.An alternative, but one that will dismay the purists, would be to use reformed stone. Churwell Art Stone 0113 252 3855 quoted me less than £70 plus VAT for the whole set.There's one other thing that you could try and that is to turn the existing stone around, assuming that the back face is clean and that the profiles are similar.
It won't weather any better than it did, but it will probably see you out. David Snell is contributing editor to 'Homebuilding & Renovating' magazine and author of 'Building Your Own Home', available at £23 plus £2.25 p&p from 0870 155 7222Money mattersMy wife and I are 62, married for 39 years and retired. Living together was difficult so we have sold the big semi and bought two small semis of about the same value near to each other. We expect to live in each house for many years.
It works for us and we are more friendly. The separation is likely to be permanent but we have taken no legal action to formalise it.What is the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) situation on the houses? We live as sole occupiers of separate properties; there is no marital home and we spend each night apart. Are we both allowed private residence relief for CGT purposes? The properties are owned in joint names. Should we each hold one in one name?Maggie Fleming writes: It is a well-known fact that a married couple, living together, can have only one exempt residence between them - and this rule will now apply to registered civil partners also. However, from what you have said, you fit the Revenue and Customs definition of 'separated', in that you are living apart in circumstances such that it is likely that the separation will prove permanent.
The fact that you have taken no legal action is irrelevant. If either or both of you completes tax returns, you should indicate your marital status on the forms as 'separated'. You should advise your tax district of your change of status.
They will accept a date of separation agreed between you. As a separated couple, you can each have your own residence which qualifies for Principal Private Residence relief.You should each wholly own the property you live in. As you are no longer married, you cannot take advantage of the inter-spouse exemption in order to transfer your share of the 'wrong' properties to each other taxfree.
However, there is a little-known extra-statutory concession (ESC D26) which may be of use to you. The concession operates where two people jointly own two properties which are their main residences and would qualify fully for PPR relief if each property were in the sole ownership of the person who lives in it. Using this concession, you can exchange interests, so that each of you ends up owning your own home solely, without a potential CGT problem.
Maggie Fleming is a director of Isis Financial Planners and a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. The Property Clinic is now off on its Christmas break. It will return in the New Year.
A common masonry repair is steel lintel replacement. As a home ages the steel lintels (the support for the brick work above an opening) sometimes begin to rust and fail. The signs are obvious if you know what to look for. When looking for steel lintel replacement and masonry repair issues on an older masonry building you will look for cracks and separations in the mortar and bricks where the bricks over the opening meets the openings’ side walls.You will first notice a small crack off the corner of the window opening, where the steel meets the sides of the brick opening and a crack in the mortar will usually stair step up the wall away from the opening. This is a sign that the steel beneath the brick and above the opening has excessive water collecting on the surface. This water causes rust to form on the steel which causes it to expand as it decays, sometimes up to ten times the original thickness which requires a steel lintel replacement.This expansion of the steel lifts the masonry causing cracks in the masonry. As soon as you notice a brick or mortar crack in these areas, it is a good time to apply a above the openings in hopes of preventing a steel replacement repair.The may or may not work.
It could certainly slow down the deterioration process. You probably will not need a masonry repair or a brick at this time. As the steel ages further, the mortar and brick cracks that were originally only hairline in width get larger and larger as the steel lintel begins to expand rapidly with oxidation. It is not uncommon to find cracks as large as 1 1/2″ due to the expansion of the deteriorating steel and this condition will usually require a steel lintel replacement repair.At this point more water enters into the masonry causing addition deterioration and creates a circular pattern. You will have to have a steel lintel replacement repair completed to stop the problem. Estimated Repair Cost – $650 for small window and up, depending on size of window and location.Double click the first picture in the gallery to receive more detailed info.
A lintel is defined as a horizontal support of timber, stone, concrete, or steel across the top of a window or door which supports the weight above the opening.In masonry work, a lintel is a support form that is left in place to ensure proper stability for both brick and mortar. Because masonry goes together wet and cures to a hardened state after 28 days, it is impossible to install masonry over a door or window without using a masonry support during the curing process. While a lintel can be made from timber, stone, or concrete, it’s almost always made of steel when used in masonry. Steel lintels can be flat bars which are either used flat or bent into other shapes, such as an arc when used under a brick archway; however, most steel lintels used in masonry are what are known as angle iron lintels.An angle iron lintel is a piece of steel lintel that is bent at a right angle to provide support. They are normally sold in 20-foot sections and are cut to fit any desired openings. They are described by their dimensions.
For example, to span an opening over a 3-foot-wide window, it may require a lintel that is 3”x 3”x 3’6”x 1/4” (WIDTH x HEIGHT x LENGTH x THICKNESS). Although the window in this scenario is only 3-foot-wide, the lintel must be longer than the opening so as to sit atop of the brick on either side of the window for support, thus requiring a 3’6” lintel in this example.
If the lintel were the same length as the opening, it would not be supported by the brick underneath on either side thus not lending support for the brick being laid on the lintel above.The greater the space of the opening, the larger the lintel may need to be in overall dimensions in order to adequately bear the weight it is holding. For example, a standard size for a lintel that is intended to span a 16-foot garage door is 4” x 6” x 17’ x 3/8”. Because the back or vertical wall of the lintel is where it gets most of its strength, a flat lintel can bow under its own weight, but an angle iron lintel won’t allow the bottom to bow without crunching the vertical wall of the lintel. Therefore, a 1/4-inch-thick angle iron lintel is actually more supportive than a 1 inch thick, flat lintel.When installing an angle iron lintel over a garage door or any other opening, there is a process to follow, and if any step in that process is omitted, it will almost certainly lead to a failure of the lintel’s ability to support the weight load.INSTALLING THE LINTEL:Before installing the lintel, Advantage Masonry consults an on-staff engineer regarding dimensions necessary for each one. Prior to the installation of the lintel, the brick must first be installed on either side of the garage door to an elevation equal to the top of the garage door, and both sides must be perfectly level to each other.
Once this is step is completed, it’s then ready for the lintel.To begin the installation process of the lintel, a small amount of mortar is placed atop of the brick on either side of the garage door. Because the lintel is made from steel, it will expand and contract with the heat and cold; therefore, the ends of the lintel are wrapped with expansion material which allows the lintel to expand and contract without breaking the brick and the mortar.The lintel is then set in place and leveled into the mortar that was previously placed atop the brick on either end with pre-drilled holes every 16 inches in the back or vertical wall. The header, which is located behind the angle iron lintel and located over a garage door, is constructed of two 2 x 12’s laid on edge and sandwiched together with an equal sized piece of 1/2 inch plywood between them. This is what supports the stud wall framework of the house over the garage door.
The angle iron lintel only supports the brick work which sits directly in front of the stud wall.The next step in the installation process is to connect the lintel with 3/8 inch stainless steel lag bolts and washers to the header every 16 inches. This prevents the lintel from moving out of its intended position, and perhaps, more crucially prevents the lintel from sagging from the weight of the brick during hot conditions. When steel gets hot, its molecules expand, making the lintel vulnerable to sagging under immense weight. At this point, the lintel is in place, it’s level, it’s the correct size to carry the load, and it’s bolted into the header. With the appropriate size of lintel bolted into the header and brick ties throughout the brick work, the lintel DOES NOT SAG.NOTE: It’s imperative to get the lintel size right.
How To Repair Cracked Stone Lintel Wall
If the lintel is too small, it won’t carry the load, and if it’s too big, its own expansion and contraction will break your brick.After the lintel is in place and it’s all secured, a moisture barrier covering must be installed to the stud wall above the garage door. The moisture barrier can be made of either 6 mm plastic or Tyvek house wrap. The purpose of the moisture barrier is to trap any condensation that gets into the air space between the back of the brick and the front of the stud wall so that it funnels the condensation to an escape point known as a weep hole.
Once the moisture barrier is in place, brick ties, also known as wall ties, are installed. These are metal tabs that are nailed into the vertical 2 x 4 studs and bent into the horizontal mortar joints, also known as bed joints, as the brick is installed. The mortar forms around the brick ties during installation, and this connects the brick wall to the stud wall behind it, preventing the brick from being able to move on any axis.Advantage Masonry’s final step is to install the brick, strike the mortar joints, wash it, and clean up the mess.If your home is experiencing a sagging lintel, it can only be due to one or more of these issues, and it must be rectified immediately. If your brick has moved out of its original position in conjunction with a sagging lintel, it can only mean that the brick ties either aren’t there or have failed.
Either way, it means the bricks are NOT CONNECTED to the house and are in danger of immanent collapse. This must be corrected immediately in order to prevent loss of property or more importantly, loss of life.NOTE: If you would like to schedule a free, no obligation inspection with one of our qualified technicians, please click on the link below. Fill out the form on the right to get a Free, No Obligation inspection. A staff member will get in touch with you as soon as possible.Don’t delay, your home could suffer water damage, pest infestation and higher utility costs.All of our inspectors have many years of experience and are trained in masonry restoration.We respect your privacy.
Therefore we never sell or share your personal information with any third parties. Any information collected through this page is intended to be used for this transaction only. Your personal information is secured via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Encryption Technology.
Garage Lintel RepairThe lintel above a garage door is usually the longest in a house. Typically made out of metal and covered by exterior bricks, some span as many as 18 feet across. Long lintels like this are particularly vulnerable to failure over time because they have to be strong enough to properly distribute all the weight above them. Early signs of garage lintel failure include cracked bricks or cracked exterior walls above the garage opening. As the damage progresses, the lintel will start to visibly sag.Have a cracked or sagging garage doorframe? Contact us to see if you need lintel repair.
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One of the common yet more serious structural problems that can affect a house is lintel failure. Above most windows and doors you will have some form of lintel. Commonly these are brick lintels, steel lintels or concrete lintels. The first signs of a problem with a lintel are usually cracks in the masonry above the windows and doors.What should you do if you notice cracks above a window or door? Can you repair lintels? Do you need to replace cracked lintels?This guide aims to answer these questions and take you through how to repair lintels with.Menu.What is a lintel?A lintel is a type of structural support used in buildings. They are installed horizontally above opening such as doors and windows to support the load of the structure above.
Lintels can be made of bricks, concrete, timber or metal. They provide additional strength at weaker points - if a load-bearing lintel is damaged then it requires attention. When do I need to repair a lintel?When dealing with any cracks in a wall, it’s important to establish the root cause of the cracking. When the cracks are above doors and windows, the first step is to look for evidence that the lintel is cracked or blown. Identifying Damaged & Failed LintelsWhen lintels fail, they often cause vertical cracks to appear in the surrounding masonry. Vertical stepped cracks in the brickwork are therefore the clearest evidence that your lintel has failed.You will generally see vertical cracks appearing diagonally up and in from the top corners of the windows. Lintels generally bow downwards when they fail, which forces the brickwork up and inwards resulting in cracks and bulging masonry.
With failed lintels, the cracks shouldn’t extend beyond the width of the window or door.The most common reasons for lintel failure are faults with the lintel such as the corrosion of the steel. It’s important to note that lintels may be cracked or blown due to other structural issues such as movement in the wall or foundations. You should consult a structural engineer to rule out a more serious underlying issue.Problems with lintels are often noticed when hardwood windows are being replaced, usually with new uPVC windows. Before installing new windows, contractors should check the condition of the lintels. Evidence of cracks at this stage is obviously a concern for the homeowner. In these instances the lintel will need to be reinforced (or replaced) before you remove and install new windows.If you are dealing with a brick flat arch lintels, you can easily carry out lintel repair with helical spiral bars. These stainless steel bars are bonded into slots above an existing lintel.
This imparts load-bearing strength and provides a highly effective repair with minimum disruption.Types of Lintel Repairs Brick & Masonry LintelsRepairing brick lintels and brick flat arch lintels is easy with helical bars. This is the focus of our guide – you can jump to to find out more.Concrete LintelsIf your concrete lintel is suffering from horizontal cracks then you need to deal with the crack itself. This is because water can get into the crack and cause the steel reinforcement within the concrete to rust. The expansion of the rust can cause the concrete to break up. You should look at different concrete repair products or at replacing the lintel altogether.Example of concrete lintel above a window Metal LintelsOver time metal lintels including those made of steel will corrode to some extent. As the metal corrodes, it expands which causes the render to crack. You will need to fill this crack with a resin injection to protect it.
This should prevent further damage to the lintel. Timber LintelsWhere timber lintels are used, often in older properties, you are at risk from wood rot (wet and dry) as well as wood boring beetles.
This can affect the structural integrity of the timber and mean that need you to replace or repair them using helical spiral bars as outlined in this guide.Window Lintel RepairThe best way to carry out window lintel repairs is with helical bars. These reinforcement bars can be used with brick or masonry lintels. Once installed these stainless steel bars improve strength with minimum disruption.Helical bars are a welcome alternative to installing a new lintel. The installation of a new lintel requires brickwork to be removed and replaced, and the masonry above the opening to be supported with props during this process.
It is costly and disruptive. How to Use Helical Bars for Lintel RepairsThese steel rods effectively re-engineer your existing brickwork into a beam. They can be used on brick arch lintels too with the use of additional grouted ties.
How do Helical Bars work?When correctly installed, the helical bars and cementitious anchor grout are bound together so strongly with the masonry that they effectively create a single masonry beam. This beam has excellent load-bearing capacity and is able to support the brickwork above, as well as spreading the structural loads.
The slot for the stainless steel bar is cut to a specific depth in order to provide the best continuous interlocking with the grout.With the addition of a second bar, the stress forces that act on the lintel are further redistributed. The tensile strength exhibited by a lintel reinforced with a helical bar surpasses the alternatives, often many times over. With the lintel restored, you remove the risk of the lintel failing and any dangerous repercussions.
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Installing Helical Bars for Lintel RepairsThe installation of helical bars is relatively quick and easy. All works are carried out externally, which minimises disruption to homeowners.We have broken down the installation into simple easy to follow steps. The installation method outlined below applies to both window and door lintels. It is strongly recommended that you install helical bars at two levels above the failed lintel.Helical bars when used for lintel repairs are available in three and seven metre lengths. These longer lengths allow the bars to extend beyond the window or door by the required 500mm. You can also cut the longer lengths to the exact size required.Step One – Chasing out & Cleaning SlotsUsing a wall chaser, cut or chase out a slot in the horizontal mortar bed above the first course of bricks, sitting directly above the lintel.For brick arch lintels, the slot should be cut in the horizontal mortar bed that runs directly above the crown of the arch.Brick arch lintel repair - showing positioning of first helical barYou need to cut out just over 500mm either side of the opening and above the window or door.
You need to cut the slot to the correct depth, dependent on the wall thickness. See the below chart: Wall ThicknessDepth of SlotDepth of Bar102mm30mm20mm215mm40mm30mmRemove the mortar including any loose materials before flushing the joint with clean water.Two – Anchor GroutMix the thoroughly using a paddle mixer. Load the grout into a.Pump the grout to the back of the slot in a continuous even bead to approximately two thirds of the slot depth.Three – Insert the First BarPush the helical bar firmly into the grout to around two thirds of the depth of the slot. Make sure that the bar extends 500mm either side of the window or door.Four – Insert the Second BarApply a second bead of anchor grout into the slot, making sure that the first bar is completely covered.
Trowel away any excess grout before adding the second helical bar. This bar should reach around half the depth of the slot and be at least 10mm from the first bar.You now need to apply a further bead of grout until it is approximately 10mm from the surface. Make sure the bars and grout are firmly packed.YOU SHOULD REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR THE SECOND LEVEL.
How to make a power glove. THE SECOND LEVEL IS CREATED BY CUTTING ANOTHER SLOT FOUR COURSES ABOVE THE FIRST USING EXACTLY THE SAME METHOD.Positioning of the second helical bar for window lintel repairFive – Making GoodFinish by making good the slot and filling the vertical crack with an appropriate filler to match. By using the right filler to repoint, you should leave no evidence of the repair work.
What grout to use in lintel repair?You will need a grout to secure the helical bars in place. At Permagard, we suggest due to its high strength. This cement-based anchoring grout provides a powerful bond and imparts long-term stability, maintaining maximum contact with the brickwork. It can be mixed in the exact quantities required to save waste. What to do internally when carrying out lintel repairs?We have focussed on how to repair a lintel externally. Now we will take a look at what to do internally.
The best course of action is determined by the severity of the cracks and if they run through to the internal leaf of your cavity wall. Cracks that go through to the internal leafIf the cracks are evident on the internal leaf of a cavity wall then you need to repeat the process and create a new lintel / beam internally. You should also ensure that there are enough wall ties between the two leaves to allow for the correct and safe transferring of load.The best way to do this is with an inspection to appraise if there are sufficient walls ties.
With a cavity wall, you should be able to carry out a visual inspection, looking between the inner and outer leaves. If you are unable to get a good view of the existing wall ties and their frequency then you can or an endoscope camera.You will need to add or replace wall ties if there are not enough or the existing ties are corroded to provide structural stability. Our guide to. No cracks on the internal leafIf there is no evidence of cracking on the internal leaf, then you don’t need to install a beam internally. You will however need to inspect the wall ties as per the above.
If there are not sufficient wall ties between the two leaves, you should install as required. Creating a Lintel No LintelSometimes lintels don’t exist in the first place. When there isn’t a lintel above a window, it usually means the masonry was built directly onto the window frames. In this instance you can create a new lintel using helical bars. You can do this by installing two levels of helical bars using the methodInstalling helical bars in this way enables you to form a lintel within the existing brickwork. It is a cheaper and easier repair than installing a new concrete or metal lintel, which is expensive and very disruptive.
Lintel repair costsThe use of helical bars for lintel repair or creating a new lintel is the most cost-effective approach. The cost of lintel repair is reduced dramatically because of the ease of repair and how quick it is to install the bars.The alternatives often involve removing brickwork and mechanically supporting the surrounding masonry. This makes it a big, costly and often difficult job. You then have the aesthetic issues with replacing the removed brickwork with new courses that may look different. With the helical bar method, there is no need to replace the lintel or rebuild any of the masonry as it uses the existing brickwork.The following helical bar options are available from Permagard:You can buy our lintel repair helical bars in bulk to save.
£440 exc. Vat. = £595.00 exc. Vat. = £110 exc. VatBars can also be purchased individually:. £9.75 per bar exc.
Vat. £12.80 per bar exc. VatThe bars can be fixed with a - £48.50 exc. Vat for 25kg.If you have the required tools, the total costs of lintel repair can be very affordable. Combining the costs of the helical reinforcement bars and anchor grout, it can be from as little as £100 to repair one window lintel. This does not include labour.
Permagard – Structural Repair ExpertsIf you have any questions about masonry cracks or any other contact our team for free technical advice.If you want to know to repair wall cracks then read our guide.
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