new double glazing in 1930s semi

secla

I need to replace a bathroom window in my 1930s semi before we have the bathroom completely refurbished
Currently there is a wooden frame with a aluminium double glazing unit that we want to replace with upvc, Im concerned that there isn't going to be a lintel due to the age of the house but the outside is rendered so no real way i can tell. I have a local window fitter coming to quote but is fitting a lintel something window fitters can generally do or am i also going to have to get a builder in first ? Also any idea of a rough cost il be looking at ?

grumbler

First floor? Unless it's a gable wall, I think there has to be a timber lintel to support the rafters and, possibly, the joists.

secla

yes first floor, I was under the impression that some older houses used the wooden frame as support.
Id be happy to be wrong though

stuart45

Do you know if it's a cavity wall of solid?

secla

I think its solid with a more modern rear extension being cavity.
But the window i currently need changing i think is in a solid wall externally rendered

FreeBear

secla said: I think its solid with a more modern rear extension being cavity.
But the window i currently need changing i think is in a solid wall externally rendered

Any photos inside & out ?

I've had the last few upstairs windows replaced in June last year. late 1920s semi, cavity walls on the lower half, and solid brick on the upper and rough cast rendered. Fairly typical construction for the interwar years...

Above the bathroom window, there is a fairly hefty lump of timber, some 150mm by 75mm. On top of this, one course of brick and then another lump of 150x75mm timber taking the weight of the roof. The old window (also timber frame with aluminium DG inset) was badly installed and there was an ugly gap between the lintel and the top of the frame. This has now been plugged with a 3x2 screwed to the lintel which the top of the new window is fixed to. I'd removed the timber trim around the reveal along with the inner sill so that plenty of expanding foam could be injected in any gaps. No more draughts, and having the trim out of the way made things a lot easier to fit the new window.

Quite a bit of rot in the trim & sill that I've not got round to sorting yet - I can take a couple of snaps if you're interested.

secla

Inside is tiled into the window cavity so nothing to see there really
next door have had there bay rebuilt which had a large wooden lintel, thinking about it they have had all there windows done so maybe i should ask them 

FreeBear

secla said: Inside is tiled into the window cavity so nothing to see there really
next door have had there bay rebuilt which had a large wooden lintel, thinking about it they have had all there windows done so maybe i should ask them 

Your render goes over the top of the windows (mine doesn't). So you may well have something solid for the new frame to screw in to.

stuart45

There probably is a lintel. On cavity walls they often used a lintel for the inner skin, and rested the outer on the frame.

EssexExile

Any competent double glazing company will be aware of this problem and will be able to fit a lintel if needed.

FreeBear

EssexExile said:

Any competent double glazing company will be aware of this problem and will be able to fit a lintel if needed.

I can show you an installation that Anglian did fairly recently that should have had a lintel fitted but they didn't bother...

Oh wait, you said competent.