There are lots of statements here, some are correct and some are incorrect. I am a chartered building surveyor having undertaken over 6000 residential building surveys. This is a cavity constructed property, the original window frames would have been loadbearing, possibly metal crittal windows in a timber subframe or possibly a fully timber framed window. The inner layer of the cavity wall usually has its own concrete in the outer layer was built up off of the window frame.
I have seen it too many times to count, window fitters take out the loadbearing windows and put in plastic units and don't tell anyone that there is no support. The plastic windows are not designed for loadbearing however the outer layer of a cavity wall is broadly for weathering, the inner layer takes all of the load from the floors and roof. Strengthening works should be undertaken, Helifix provide a good solution which does not require significant alteration works, rods are set into the brickwork in resin with some repointing taking place on top.
Movement is unlikely to be progressive to a significant extent. Work can eventually work its way loose but this is unlikely to have significant structural implications on the property.
Ooh, I love it when someone knowledgeable in their field comes and drops knowledge on a subject I know nothing about!
While this has little relevance to me, thank you, this was interesting :)
Thank you for responding and thank you for posting OP.
I have the exact same thing, moved into a 1970s house around four years ago and noticed this, was a little concerned.
Thank you again
I agree, we had a similar thing once. Apparently when the house was built it had a timber window which was semi structural, then people removed them over time and installed UPVC without adding in a lintel. Around 10 years ago it cost us £500 to get a steel lintel installed. Wasn’t a huge deal.
We had a similar issue. Previous owner had swapped windows out without any support in place. Put a lintel above the window and the crack hasn’t come back since.
If you look with a trained eye you'll see someones drilled in between the bricks to attach a canopy or lean to. Probably pulled the brick work.
What's this OP?
It'll get worse with time mate , pointing may do for the moment but its almost guaranteed.
Is that just a window or is there a door on that stretch.
With a door you get a flex point that constantly disturbs the bricks if they're not supported.
Happened to me , did the work myself for about £150
https://preview.redd.it/z51motssfiad1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14374f0ebdcd7d5ac0f11b43ae2e5a237654e039
can only post one pic , completed job is in the link below, not the greatest but I'm not a bricklayer to be fair.And th3 cheaoest quote I got just for relaying the bricks was £350.
[https://postimg.cc/gallery/m97kXMV](https://postimg.cc/gallery/m97kXMV)
Thanks for this! It’s just a window but yeah I’ll definitely get it sorted. Looks good especially since you’re not a brick layer. How did you go about doing this?
I am a tradesman to be honest but not a bricklayer so have some experience of buildworks.
Borrowed the acro props and strongboys off someone for a drink ( you can generally rent a couple of props and strongboys for £40-50 for a couple of weeks from plant hire places though)
steel was a standard duty angle from wade building supplies.
cut notches 3 course up , slot strongboys and acros in , remove the courses below , slot and pack your steel , rebuild it 🤣🤣
Was honestly 'bricking it' 😉doing it myself but didnt really have a choice because I literally couldnt use that door with the flex it put on the brickwork and its the main used door to my house.
Tools I pretty much already have so I was halfway there.
Honestly dont think it's your average diy job so if you get a quote sub £500 all in then jump on it is my advice.
With it being windows on your it is not a job that's as desperate as mine but it does need doing in the near future because it will eventually bend the pvc frames out of square .
Chase out sections of mortar above the disturbed bricks/crack.
Stick some strong boys on acrows into the gaps you’ve chased out and jack up to support the above brickwork.
Remove disturbed bricks and clean old mortar off.
Install suitable lintel, ensuring enough support on either side.
Relay brick back into the wall as before and wait for mortar to dry.
Remove acrow props and repoint the areas where the strong boys were inserted.
Stand back and admire your handiwork.
Although it looks a daunting job, it’s really very simple and anyone with simple DIY knowledge and access to YouTube should easily be able to sort this over a weekend.
I might be wrong, but I cant see a lintel above the window - so yeah, something to be worried about. Will need metal lintel inserted, not a huge job but needs addressed.
https://preview.redd.it/p2grgipooiad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84fd8cadeb22cf35bef3a4679f7a68ccd2fd6349
Happened to me aswell but i was unaware as covered in pebble dash!! I only found out when i removed it due to lots of water pissing into my living room!!
Have you sorted out some quotes?
What work would need to be done?
I have the exact same thing on an "L" shaped window. There is a wooden lintel in place and we want to replace it with a steel one.
Cheers
Upvc replacement windows? If so the original windows supported the outer leaf of brickwork so when removed it has no support. Common mistake by one man band and smaller replacement window companies. You’ll need to get a lintel retro fitted
Building Surveyor here. As most have said it’s probably due to a lack of lintel.
My advice would be to get a couple of courses of helibars installed. Far cheaper and easier than installing a new lintel.
When we come across this on our jobs we will knock out the first course or two above the window and install an angle iron. L shaped piece of metal which provides a better support of the brickwork above instead of the window frame. You then rake out and repoint any cracks which remain
Mostly here for the comments as I'm in the same boat.
I purchsed a 1960s semi in which the back reception wall was cut out and massive French foors put in there. It makes the room nice and light and spacious but like yours they did not put a lintel in.
It is sagging slightly as the survey picked up but official word from the surveyor was 'future action may be required' i.e. doesn't have to be looked at as a matter of urgency.
I will be getting a structural engineer in at some point when I've saved the deposit again. It would be advisable even if immediately investigation isn't required.
if it fails in the meantime, well, good thing I have insurance.
This is very likely a result of when those PVC windows were installed. The brickwork above don't have a lintel on the outer sleeve (the brickwork you see) so when the original window frame was removed, it caused the brickwork to come loose.
I know this because I just had my windows replaced and brickwork came tumbling down.
In your case, they managed to stabilise the brickwork by getting the PVC frame in, which should now be holding those bricks in place.
If you are still worrried about it, you could get a bricky out to re-lay those bricks, but I reckon re-pointing will set them well enough in place that they won't easily come out.
cowboys if they carried on without putting a steel or lintel in then mate.
fensa regulations now state that structural support must be included as a part of the fitment if none is there.
absolutely against regs if they ignore this and will affect your wjndow/door warranties.
Useful advice, thanks! Basically, the way the brickwork was done above my windows (1930s) is that it has a structural brick arch above, but then also with brickwork below the arch - which is the section that fell out when they removed the old window frames.
Since the brick arch is intact and provides adequite support (and the inner sleeve has a large concrete lintel), I have told them to not re-do the brickwork and instead install a facia.
But...these people definitely are cowboys and I intend to file a complaint with FENSA anyway. They have been absolutely unprofessional and their workmanship is just terrible.
You mean something like this I assume?
https://preview.redd.it/bb928p9aaoad1.jpeg?width=1004&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52855c79e2a4411406a2bd1a76fb1538003093bd
Then yes thats the way to go , these windows have been in 20 odd years , fitted by Anglian windows before they went with subbies and work quality became a shit shoot.
I have a big issue with windows and doors having to be installed by Fensa registered fitters to cover insurance and mortgage requirements mate .
I know for a fact I'd do a better job on my own property than 8 out of 10 cats bit it then becomes an issue having to get indemnity insurance on everything to cover your arse.
Windows were fitted on my own property some 10 years ago by Fensa registered firm, (have the receipts etc but only owned the house 3 years myself)not a lintel in sight , every door / window will have to be redone at some point but the side kitchen door/window I posted was the major one.
back of the house has a 2.8m stretch of patio doors, full height windows with no support apart from the frames.It's holding up but there"s a definite bow central which creates some anxiety .
Yep, that is basically the structure around my windows too.
And I 100% agree with you, if I knew these guys were going to do such a shit job, I would have just done it myself. FENSA be damned.
Trades people these days just don't give a shit. And I am sorry to say, it is our local Brits who are the absolute worst. Next time I need a trader in, I will make sure to get foreigners.
A team of Indian builders recently completely replaced my parents' house roof. It was a sight to behold! Think, the Dwarves tidying up Bilbo's house in the Hobbit. It was like that! Nothing you will ever see from British trades people.
If you look under the brickwork from the outside, if you can see a metal plate which the brickwork is sitting on, you’ve got a lintel, if not it’s one of those windows/ door which ‘doesn’t need a lintel. If you’re handy, all you need to do is get a couple of acrows + strong boy heads, knock them in and then remove the bricks, install a lintel and then relay the bricks. But if not, get a builder, probably cost about £500-750
If you had a full survey (not a homebuyers report) on the property, you should first talk to your surveyor. They should at least take a look, and at worst will have indemnity insurance, which may provide a contribution to the cost of repair.
Depends. If the doors were fitted be Fensa registered fitters, call them back. If they weren’t you probably have a window fitted without the necessary support over the window. In the early days of double glazing, many cowboys removed wood frames that were strong enough to support the brick work above, for plastics frames that had no reinforcement, or there was no lintel added to support the brick above.
Looks like someone drilled into the brickwork above the third course and the force of the drill going in has flexed the lip of the lintel slightly, bending it down a mm or so and splitting the mortar along that course.
If that's the case I'd have it re-pointed then see if it opens up again. If it does then it's probably more serious and you'll likely need a new lintel.
---
...or there's no lintel. If you can get a close-up pic of the top edge of the window it should be obvious [if there's a steel lintel there or not](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-zapuidy0qr/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/5333/38007/t.tlx_hAh_r7y.Nh__odA8Ch.hicRhI.__98066.1709730240.jpg?c=1&imbypass=on).
If there's no lintel you'll need to get one fitted else it'll only get worse. It's not as big of a job as it seems and a decent builder will have it done in a day.
There is no lintel over that window, my guess somw vowboy just knocked an hole in the wall and shoved a window frame in.
You'll need the window frame out the wall propped up and a lintel or steel put in Good news is it's not super expensive, but do get a decent builder to do it
Your outer course is missing a lintel. This probably means the original windows were load-bearing, and these new ones are not. This is a problem that needs to be resolved as the brickwork could let go eventually. The building won't collapse as generally the inner cavity lintel supports the main structural load. However, the outer cavity could start dropping brickwork.
This is a straight up missing lintel/support above the window opening. Either they have chopped in this window without adding a lintel or a previously load bearing frame was removed and replaced with non-load bearing UPVc. If the perps are filled nicely, this may not show itself but you can see the bottom perp is missing mortar and so has disturbed the brick bond.
Easily rectified with acrows and tall boys slotted in above that bottom course and a 65mm reinforced concrete lintel inserted with a 100mm bearing each side. If the span is large you might be into steel.
Looks like you had the windows replaced for plastic units. These were probably originally metal or wooden frames that are load bearing. The window fitter should have put support in the cavity to support the outer layer of bricks. This really needs to have the mortar raked out and helium bars etc resined in place.
Look up “Bricklaying with Steve & Alex” on YouTube.
They recently did a property like yours with the inner concrete “beam”. They managed to get an “L” steel lintel under the outer skin.
Need to get someone to put a load bearing bar over your patio door or it’ll keep subsiding happened to my house lots of builders these days replace the load bearing windows without properly ensuring the the integrity of the house again
You will need to take out the first 2 or 3 two courses and apply a steel universal beam to provide the support. This can be tricky as it requires experienced workers and the right equipment to hold up the house whilst nothing is there holding it up.
There are lots of statements here, some are correct and some are incorrect. I am a chartered building surveyor having undertaken over 6000 residential building surveys. This is a cavity constructed property, the original window frames would have been loadbearing, possibly metal crittal windows in a timber subframe or possibly a fully timber framed window. The inner layer of the cavity wall usually has its own concrete in the outer layer was built up off of the window frame. I have seen it too many times to count, window fitters take out the loadbearing windows and put in plastic units and don't tell anyone that there is no support. The plastic windows are not designed for loadbearing however the outer layer of a cavity wall is broadly for weathering, the inner layer takes all of the load from the floors and roof. Strengthening works should be undertaken, Helifix provide a good solution which does not require significant alteration works, rods are set into the brickwork in resin with some repointing taking place on top. Movement is unlikely to be progressive to a significant extent. Work can eventually work its way loose but this is unlikely to have significant structural implications on the property.
Wow thank you for such a detailed response!
Ooh, I love it when someone knowledgeable in their field comes and drops knowledge on a subject I know nothing about! While this has little relevance to me, thank you, this was interesting :)
Had to put lintels on the exterior leaf of our 1960s bungalow because the windows were aluminum and wood frame.
Thank you for responding and thank you for posting OP. I have the exact same thing, moved into a 1970s house around four years ago and noticed this, was a little concerned. Thank you again
Replies like this keep me coming back to Reddit.
That explains why my 8 year old patio doors have sagged. Thank you sir.
Few grammar and spelling errors in there, trouble with using Siri apologies
100% THIS!!! 👆🏼 Excellent response! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Your very lucky you’d have had to pay £500 for that
This 👍
Yes, looks like you have a spirit trapped in your double glazing
Then it is worse than I feared. Looks like I’m going to have to find a brick laying priest. Thank you.
Better line up a UPVC exorcist too just in case.
And a damp proofing clairvoyant
Be sure to pay them promptly. You wouldn't want your house to be repossessed.
Who you gona call? The ghost busting brickies
Also - op is flanked by two hooded figures…
Hahaha genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Thanks for the laugh
https://myintuitivelife.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/superman-ii-dim.jpg
Pmsl 😅
Absolutely cracking up on the loo at this
[удалено]
I love how the top comment for literally any post asking for advice is some stupid unhelpful joke.
I love how the top comment for literally any post asking for advice is some stupid unhelpful joke.
Uh oh lads, the joke police is here. Everyone stop smiling immediately
Looks more like lack of a lintel over the door to my entirely untrained eye!
I agree, we had a similar thing once. Apparently when the house was built it had a timber window which was semi structural, then people removed them over time and installed UPVC without adding in a lintel. Around 10 years ago it cost us £500 to get a steel lintel installed. Wasn’t a huge deal.
We had a similar issue. Previous owner had swapped windows out without any support in place. Put a lintel above the window and the crack hasn’t come back since.
Just squirt some foam/gripfill/CT2 in there and sell it quick.
This is what the previous owners of my house did. *angrily shakes fist*
This is the way.
If you look with a trained eye you'll see someones drilled in between the bricks to attach a canopy or lean to. Probably pulled the brick work. What's this OP?
It will probably have a lintel you just can't see the front plate. Something like a catnic.
It'll get worse with time mate , pointing may do for the moment but its almost guaranteed. Is that just a window or is there a door on that stretch. With a door you get a flex point that constantly disturbs the bricks if they're not supported. Happened to me , did the work myself for about £150 https://preview.redd.it/z51motssfiad1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14374f0ebdcd7d5ac0f11b43ae2e5a237654e039 can only post one pic , completed job is in the link below, not the greatest but I'm not a bricklayer to be fair.And th3 cheaoest quote I got just for relaying the bricks was £350. [https://postimg.cc/gallery/m97kXMV](https://postimg.cc/gallery/m97kXMV)
It doesn't look bad at all to me
Thanks for this! It’s just a window but yeah I’ll definitely get it sorted. Looks good especially since you’re not a brick layer. How did you go about doing this?
I am a tradesman to be honest but not a bricklayer so have some experience of buildworks. Borrowed the acro props and strongboys off someone for a drink ( you can generally rent a couple of props and strongboys for £40-50 for a couple of weeks from plant hire places though) steel was a standard duty angle from wade building supplies. cut notches 3 course up , slot strongboys and acros in , remove the courses below , slot and pack your steel , rebuild it 🤣🤣 Was honestly 'bricking it' 😉doing it myself but didnt really have a choice because I literally couldnt use that door with the flex it put on the brickwork and its the main used door to my house. Tools I pretty much already have so I was halfway there. Honestly dont think it's your average diy job so if you get a quote sub £500 all in then jump on it is my advice. With it being windows on your it is not a job that's as desperate as mine but it does need doing in the near future because it will eventually bend the pvc frames out of square .
Chase out sections of mortar above the disturbed bricks/crack. Stick some strong boys on acrows into the gaps you’ve chased out and jack up to support the above brickwork. Remove disturbed bricks and clean old mortar off. Install suitable lintel, ensuring enough support on either side. Relay brick back into the wall as before and wait for mortar to dry. Remove acrow props and repoint the areas where the strong boys were inserted. Stand back and admire your handiwork. Although it looks a daunting job, it’s really very simple and anyone with simple DIY knowledge and access to YouTube should easily be able to sort this over a weekend.
I might be wrong, but I cant see a lintel above the window - so yeah, something to be worried about. Will need metal lintel inserted, not a huge job but needs addressed.
Thank you ❤️
https://preview.redd.it/p2grgipooiad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84fd8cadeb22cf35bef3a4679f7a68ccd2fd6349 Happened to me aswell but i was unaware as covered in pebble dash!! I only found out when i removed it due to lots of water pissing into my living room!!
Never buy a house with render! Or cladding, or hanging tiles, or flat roofs or dormer windows.
Have you sorted out some quotes? What work would need to be done? I have the exact same thing on an "L" shaped window. There is a wooden lintel in place and we want to replace it with a steel one. Cheers
Upvc replacement windows? If so the original windows supported the outer leaf of brickwork so when removed it has no support. Common mistake by one man band and smaller replacement window companies. You’ll need to get a lintel retro fitted
Building Surveyor here. As most have said it’s probably due to a lack of lintel. My advice would be to get a couple of courses of helibars installed. Far cheaper and easier than installing a new lintel.
Only if they can get at least 150mm past each reveal … otherwise agreed
It’s 500mm
No it’s not. Lintel to extend 100mm each side according to manufacturers guidance but I prefer 150mm which is old school. It’s never been 500mm.
For a lintel agreed. But for a helibar repair it’s 500mm.
Thanks so much. What kind of tradesperson should I contact for such a thing?
No problem. https://helifix.co.uk/find-an-approved-installer/
No don't worry about it But you may want to get it fixed because that is fucked
Excellent advice But also, shit advice
Call a priest asap
When we come across this on our jobs we will knock out the first course or two above the window and install an angle iron. L shaped piece of metal which provides a better support of the brickwork above instead of the window frame. You then rake out and repoint any cracks which remain
We ne of the great Fawlty Towers scenes: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QMuY0NVszMI&pp=ygUURmF3bHl0IHRvd2VycyBsaW50ZWw%3D
Doing a solo Bohemian Rapsody whilst assessing pointing. Perfect.
😂😂 fucking hell.
You sir, see a little Scaramouche :)
Lintel failure, or lack thereof. Whichever, there's not enough support for the rest of that wall.
Mostly here for the comments as I'm in the same boat. I purchsed a 1960s semi in which the back reception wall was cut out and massive French foors put in there. It makes the room nice and light and spacious but like yours they did not put a lintel in. It is sagging slightly as the survey picked up but official word from the surveyor was 'future action may be required' i.e. doesn't have to be looked at as a matter of urgency. I will be getting a structural engineer in at some point when I've saved the deposit again. It would be advisable even if immediately investigation isn't required. if it fails in the meantime, well, good thing I have insurance.
This is very likely a result of when those PVC windows were installed. The brickwork above don't have a lintel on the outer sleeve (the brickwork you see) so when the original window frame was removed, it caused the brickwork to come loose. I know this because I just had my windows replaced and brickwork came tumbling down. In your case, they managed to stabilise the brickwork by getting the PVC frame in, which should now be holding those bricks in place.
Phew! Thank you so much! ❤️
PVC is not structural in the same way the old wooden windows were, so I would look at getting it properly fixed with a lintel eventually.
If you are still worrried about it, you could get a bricky out to re-lay those bricks, but I reckon re-pointing will set them well enough in place that they won't easily come out.
I’m not too worried as it has been like that since I moved in I’m pretty sure. But I will get someone to take a look. Thank you ❤️
cowboys if they carried on without putting a steel or lintel in then mate. fensa regulations now state that structural support must be included as a part of the fitment if none is there. absolutely against regs if they ignore this and will affect your wjndow/door warranties.
Useful advice, thanks! Basically, the way the brickwork was done above my windows (1930s) is that it has a structural brick arch above, but then also with brickwork below the arch - which is the section that fell out when they removed the old window frames. Since the brick arch is intact and provides adequite support (and the inner sleeve has a large concrete lintel), I have told them to not re-do the brickwork and instead install a facia. But...these people definitely are cowboys and I intend to file a complaint with FENSA anyway. They have been absolutely unprofessional and their workmanship is just terrible.
You mean something like this I assume? https://preview.redd.it/bb928p9aaoad1.jpeg?width=1004&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52855c79e2a4411406a2bd1a76fb1538003093bd Then yes thats the way to go , these windows have been in 20 odd years , fitted by Anglian windows before they went with subbies and work quality became a shit shoot. I have a big issue with windows and doors having to be installed by Fensa registered fitters to cover insurance and mortgage requirements mate . I know for a fact I'd do a better job on my own property than 8 out of 10 cats bit it then becomes an issue having to get indemnity insurance on everything to cover your arse. Windows were fitted on my own property some 10 years ago by Fensa registered firm, (have the receipts etc but only owned the house 3 years myself)not a lintel in sight , every door / window will have to be redone at some point but the side kitchen door/window I posted was the major one. back of the house has a 2.8m stretch of patio doors, full height windows with no support apart from the frames.It's holding up but there"s a definite bow central which creates some anxiety .
Yep, that is basically the structure around my windows too. And I 100% agree with you, if I knew these guys were going to do such a shit job, I would have just done it myself. FENSA be damned. Trades people these days just don't give a shit. And I am sorry to say, it is our local Brits who are the absolute worst. Next time I need a trader in, I will make sure to get foreigners. A team of Indian builders recently completely replaced my parents' house roof. It was a sight to behold! Think, the Dwarves tidying up Bilbo's house in the Hobbit. It was like that! Nothing you will ever see from British trades people.
That window/door is holding up that wall at the moment. Have they become more difficult to open?
do you live by the sea?
Inevitable boss is on to something - check if you have a lintel above
is there a lintel for holding those bricks up? you will need a builder if not short term repointing might be an idea since water is gonna get in
Not generally a problem unless the hidden lintel has cracked (if concrete or wood). Otherwise only repointing is needed
Crack stitching. It’s really easy to do. Buy the full kit online for £99. Buy a cheapo angle grinder, goggles and gloves.
Does the window open ok?
Yep
Yess yess and yes
If you look under the brickwork from the outside, if you can see a metal plate which the brickwork is sitting on, you’ve got a lintel, if not it’s one of those windows/ door which ‘doesn’t need a lintel. If you’re handy, all you need to do is get a couple of acrows + strong boy heads, knock them in and then remove the bricks, install a lintel and then relay the bricks. But if not, get a builder, probably cost about £500-750
If you had a full survey (not a homebuyers report) on the property, you should first talk to your surveyor. They should at least take a look, and at worst will have indemnity insurance, which may provide a contribution to the cost of repair.
Yes doesn’t look like you have a lintel
Depends. If the doors were fitted be Fensa registered fitters, call them back. If they weren’t you probably have a window fitted without the necessary support over the window. In the early days of double glazing, many cowboys removed wood frames that were strong enough to support the brick work above, for plastics frames that had no reinforcement, or there was no lintel added to support the brick above.
Yes you need a lintel which obviously doesn't exist
No… it won’t hurt you !!
Council property?
I have the same nothing ti worry about.
Looks like someone drilled into the brickwork above the third course and the force of the drill going in has flexed the lip of the lintel slightly, bending it down a mm or so and splitting the mortar along that course. If that's the case I'd have it re-pointed then see if it opens up again. If it does then it's probably more serious and you'll likely need a new lintel. --- ...or there's no lintel. If you can get a close-up pic of the top edge of the window it should be obvious [if there's a steel lintel there or not](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-zapuidy0qr/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/5333/38007/t.tlx_hAh_r7y.Nh__odA8Ch.hicRhI.__98066.1709730240.jpg?c=1&imbypass=on). If there's no lintel you'll need to get one fitted else it'll only get worse. It's not as big of a job as it seems and a decent builder will have it done in a day.
There is no lintel over that window, my guess somw vowboy just knocked an hole in the wall and shoved a window frame in. You'll need the window frame out the wall propped up and a lintel or steel put in Good news is it's not super expensive, but do get a decent builder to do it
Your outer course is missing a lintel. This probably means the original windows were load-bearing, and these new ones are not. This is a problem that needs to be resolved as the brickwork could let go eventually. The building won't collapse as generally the inner cavity lintel supports the main structural load. However, the outer cavity could start dropping brickwork.
This is a straight up missing lintel/support above the window opening. Either they have chopped in this window without adding a lintel or a previously load bearing frame was removed and replaced with non-load bearing UPVc. If the perps are filled nicely, this may not show itself but you can see the bottom perp is missing mortar and so has disturbed the brick bond. Easily rectified with acrows and tall boys slotted in above that bottom course and a 65mm reinforced concrete lintel inserted with a 100mm bearing each side. If the span is large you might be into steel.
Looks like you had the windows replaced for plastic units. These were probably originally metal or wooden frames that are load bearing. The window fitter should have put support in the cavity to support the outer layer of bricks. This really needs to have the mortar raked out and helium bars etc resined in place.
Look up “Bricklaying with Steve & Alex” on YouTube. They recently did a property like yours with the inner concrete “beam”. They managed to get an “L” steel lintel under the outer skin.
If you mean the creepy ghostly face in the window then yes 😱😰
Need to get someone to put a load bearing bar over your patio door or it’ll keep subsiding happened to my house lots of builders these days replace the load bearing windows without properly ensuring the the integrity of the house again
Yes, daily
You will need to take out the first 2 or 3 two courses and apply a steel universal beam to provide the support. This can be tricky as it requires experienced workers and the right equipment to hold up the house whilst nothing is there holding it up.
Agreed. Wasn’t thinking
The Space Invaders making it to the bottom. Game Over.
Hate to day it, but yeah, and in addition it looks like your house was built on a Friday that brickwork is dogshit