Window Lintel / lack of...?

[993vic]

Hi All,
Could do with some advice re. some slippage of vertical bricks above a window.

Some previous repair is evident (newer mortar), but this has definately moved in the past year or so.

Any ideas of the cause & recommendations to fix?

Cheers
Vic

[hotrod]

Have you had a recent(ish) loft conversion?

[993vic]

There was a loft conversion done apprx 15 years ago by a previous owner. There is a dormer window almost directly above.

[stuart45]

It is not a good example of a camber arch. Normally the bricks are cut and tapered to form a proper arch, but these have just been put in at an angle with tapered joints. As the joints deterioate and there is some movement in the wall the arch will fail.
The only real answer is to rebuild it properly.

[Shytalkz]

Prolly something to do with the rwp to the left leaking and some rotation in the plane of the wall occurring as a result. Is there a return beyond the left of the photo?

No point rebuilding without finding reason: if active movement, it will only happen again.

[993vic]

I'm not aware of the rwp leaking, but will check it out asap.

The house is an end of terrace. To the left is a very slightly narrower window built in exactly the same way; but does not have the same problem. To the right is the end of terrace return wall...

What work will a repair need? Will all the "arc" bricks need to be taken out & then replaced ? Will some form of support be needed? Any idea on cost?

[Shytalkz]

It's the buried pipework you need to look at.

[stuart45]

The problem with those 'arches' is that they are really soldier courses with the end bricks tilted, not camber arches with a single striking point. When rebuilding I would put an angle iron or similar under.
Soldier courses often do this when timber window are replaced with UPVC.