above window sagging

robwend

had double glazing put in a year ago and the guy had trouble with the brick work above window, some of the wire mesh came away that supports the brickwork. he cemented it over and it looked ok but a year on its developed a sag and is bending the plastic trim around the window and now have a promenant sag above, obviously im rather worried. whats the remedy and anyone idea of costs?xxwendy

Poppy9

I'm just a girl so could be completely wrong but are you not supposed to have a lintel above a window to support the wall?

Lorian

Poppy9 wrote: »

I'm just a girl so could be completely wrong but are you not supposed to have a lintel above a window to support the wall?

I'm just a boy and I agree. Maybe there is one there and it's rendered over or something, but it needs properly inspecting for sure (and soon, I should add).

robwend

well thing about houses is that untill a problem shows you cant be sure if theres a lintel or not. i wasnt here when the glazing went in so wasnt to know, being its a 8ft long window its taking some weight. im hoping its just crumbling brickwork from all the movement. i can get a screwdriver all the way up inside the wall above window!! so its all crumbled!

Doozergirl

It really sounds like you're missing a lintel, hun. There is no way you should be able to get a screwdriver up there, a lintel should be rock solid as it needs to act like a bridge right acros the top of the window and beyond to distribute the weight of the bricks down to the foundations. Wire mesh shouldn't be used for supporting brickwork; I'm sure it's used to keep straight lines for the corners when rendering etc.

The brickwork is crumbling because there is nothing to support it. You need to get someone in to look at it as there's potentially the danger of the wall above the window crashing down. :eek:

If you live in a street with similarly designed houses, is the shape of the window similar to other houses or does it look like it's been changed at some point?

robwend

Doozergirl wrote: »

It really sounds like you're missing a lintel, hun. There is no way you should be able to get a screwdriver up there, it should be rock solid as it needs to act lika a bridge right acros the top of the window and beyond to distribute the weight of the bricks down to the foundations.

The brickwork is crumbling because there is nothing to support it. You're going to have to get someone to do it for you, but you can remove the windows without damaging them, put a lintel in and then replace the window hopefully. If you don't do it then there is a real risk that the wall above the window will come crashing down.

You need to get someone in to look at it.

If you live in a street with similarly designed houses, is the shape of the window similar to other houses or does it look like it's been changed at some point?

oh doozer thank god your here to the rescue. lol all the windows down here are the same size. my neighbour had the same problem with her mesh comming away above the window when they took out the old one but they patched it up and lll seems well. looks like bad luck follows me. do you know if this is expensive? can you guestimate hun?

robwend

just to clarify the bit that i am able to get the screwdriver through is the the wall overhang<like the window cill but upside down lol do you get me? lol

Doozergirl

If it needs a lintel then hundreds, not thousands. You can reuse the window you have.

Just need to get someone out to look at it for safety's sake. There's obviously something not right

robwend

thanks so much. il get someone to rip me off/ look at it lol

robv_3

The original windows may have been load bearing so no need for a lintel. If this was the case the new windows should have also been but sounds like they are not.

Get the window company back in.

alanobrien

robwend wrote: »

had double glazing put in a year ago and the guy had trouble with the brick work above window, some of the wire mesh came away that supports the brickwork. he cemented it over and it looked ok but a year on its developed a sag and is bending the plastic trim around the window and now have a promenant sag above, obviously im rather worried. whats the remedy and anyone idea of costs?xxwendy

As above, the window company that supplied the new windows should have been professional enough to quote for a lintel if needed. This is not and unusual occurance with some houses that had steel windows which were load bearing.
Sounds to me like someone messed up....