Concrete half circle above front door moving

[Hmby1335]

Hi Everyone,

I am after a bit of advise, I have lived In my house for 2 years now and had a new door about 1.5years ago.
A few weeks ago they blew up three high rise flats just next to my house and last week my neighbour pointed out that the concrete above my door looks like its falling out. I have been up the ladder and it is very loose!
I would like to get some advice of experts please
1. Is this concrete just a front or is it one whole lintel above my door
2. Will the whole unit have to come out or can it be 'fitted' back in?
3. How expensive (rough cost) to put right?
4. Is it still safe to use the front door or avoid completely?
5. Do you think the vibration from the three tower blocks demolition would have caused this?

Thanks for any help

 

[JohnD]

To me it looks like a badly bodged infill where the house was designed with a seashell fanlight.

Somewhat like the world's most famous door

or this

Are there any other houses like yours where the original build is still present? Post some pics.

 

[Tigercubrider]

It looks like an infill as said above
I suspect it isn't a bloody great chunk of concrete, but ply or similar rendered?

Maybe an opportunity to retrofit one? But probably cheaper to just fix as it is

A mate used to work for a seismic company and he attended quite a few demolition jobs.
I assume that the demolition contracted also employed a similar company. They would place sensors aroun the area and measure the shock waves- and so had documented evidence of pressure waves etc.

It might be their fault, it might just be bad luck, or it might be that a bodge job has decided to part company?

 

[Hmby1335]

Thankyou for your replies. All the house on my street have the same thing. I will post some pictures later.
A neighbour told me that it is a massive heavy piece of concrete as his was moving a few years ago but as it was council they had to come out and fix it

 

[^woody^]

Most likely related to that new plastic door, and the installers failed to take account of the load on the plastic frame.

 

[jeds]

I would be careful. Although it's probably not a 'massive heavy piece of concrete' it looks like thick enough piece of cement render that you won't want it on your head. Get somebody up there and give it a good thump to make sure it's secure.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

I reckon that semi-circle infill is just sitting on the plastic frame. So the thing to do is to keep it there. Have you checked for loose plaster on the inside incase a cavity tie is pulling on the inner wall skin and it is also loose?
To replace the section in brick/stone/mortar will be a problem, as we know its sitting on an insubstantial base (plastic door frame).
My first call would be a plastic double glazing outfit and get a price for a plastic panel to replace it. Then you have a lightweight plastic panel sitting on lightweight plastic with a huge brick arch taking the weight. And you can stuff the cavity with a bit of glass fibre.
Frank

 

[Hmby1335]

Hi
Just an update incase anyone has a similar problem.
Today i decided to go for it and get it out to see what it was etc
The photo below shows my results it was so.loose that i just rocked with my hand a few times and then let it fall to the ground.
From what i can see when it has been originally built the builders have put some.kind of tiles horizontally above the door frame then bricked up the arch and plastered a thin layer of pebbledash over the top.
I would have thought that it should have been tie backed to the internal brick wall so i can only presume that when i had my new door and frame.fitted it has disturbed this as the door is effectively holding all the weight and then over the last year it has been gradually moving.
Anyway much to say feel alot safer that its out and will not be fitting heavy bricks back in its place thinking insulte and board it up and skim of render

Thankyou everyone.for your comments amd hope this post may be of use to soembody in.the future

 

[Tigercubrider]

IMHO it's always nice when people post back so thanks

You could always fit a window some time in the future