OP, please dont get annoyed with a tradesman if they have easier work that could do instead of yours.....why would YOU choose a more stressful task at work if you didn't have to? I do agree, though, that many trades people are very poor communicators, and don't have the courtesy to turn work down politely.
Finally.......lintel solution for my windows.....
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I do think have every right to be annoyed.
As you say though, it is the communication that is the issue, that is what I am annoyed with, not that they have lots of work elsewhere. Price me out of the quote, timeline me out of the quote (i.e I am booked up till November....2022), or tell me direct, the job is too small for their firm or compared to available work. One builder did the latter to me over the phone and I thanked him for being honest (although he did specify angle irons so I was not too bothered).
I do not begrudge a firm for having easier work by any means. But the delay caused to me for waiting on a firm that will not communicate is just damaging, annoying and frustrating.
The one UPVC firm that did this to me caused a delay of 2 months. All because they did not want the work, but refused to say that to me and felt it more appropriate to string me along until I gave up.
Well, latest guy came today.
Specified Catnics all round, a cavity tray chased into the existing brickwork on the internal leaf and weep vents! He has a window installer he uses so I will get a quote off him too.
He showed me examples of previous lintel repair work he carried recently. One where a cavity tray had been fed underneath a concrete lintel and weep vents had been put at either side of it. The cavity tray was not taught and had sagged so the water was not making it to the weep vents (which were blocked anyway) and water ended up backing-up down the cavity.This property was only a few years old...
They replaced it with new cavity tray (chased into the brick work) that went on top of the concrete lintel and weep vents on top too.
My hopes are raised again, hopefully not to be dashed.....
Specified Catnics all round, a cavity tray chased into the existing brickwork on the internal leaf and weep vents! He has a window installer he uses so I will get a quote off him too.
He showed me examples of previous lintel repair work he carried recently. One where a cavity tray had been fed underneath a concrete lintel and weep vents had been put at either side of it. The cavity tray was not taught and had sagged so the water was not making it to the weep vents (which were blocked anyway) and water ended up backing-up down the cavity.This property was only a few years old...
They replaced it with new cavity tray (chased into the brick work) that went on top of the concrete lintel and weep vents on top too.
My hopes are raised again, hopefully not to be dashed.....
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Yes, they need to be up-front about it. I always am. Oh, and I always turn up when I say I will. Its not rocket science, this self-employed lark.
While I wait for a quote, I came across this video on youtube...
I assume this may be typical for most installers. While they identify that there is a lack of a lintel, and presumably install one. They mention that the brickwork has dropped. However, in the next video, the soldier course appears to have not been touched at all. He seems to slightly avoid filming it in the second video.
I presume installers prefer angle irons for this reason, because it is much easier to just slot it in without having to do much else.
I assume this may be typical for most installers. While they identify that there is a lack of a lintel, and presumably install one. They mention that the brickwork has dropped. However, in the next video, the soldier course appears to have not been touched at all. He seems to slightly avoid filming it in the second video.
I presume installers prefer angle irons for this reason, because it is much easier to just slot it in without having to do much else.
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Well, *##****# it
Quote came back from the last builder.
For five outer leaf lintels, cavity tray and rebuilding of fallen brickwork £3120
That is a lot more than I was expecting
Quote came back from the last builder.
For five outer leaf lintels, cavity tray and rebuilding of fallen brickwork £3120
That is a lot more than I was expecting
Haha, well you wanted a job done by the book.
Your house is currently standing fine and has been standing fine for years without external lintels. What's the stigma in fitting a correctly treated angle iron when you currently have nothing at all?
Regards cavity trays do you currently have damp patches in the tops of your window reveals when it rains heavy or with driving rain? If not its not essential you need cavity trays although it would be by the book to fit them but looking at your quote it comes at a price.
Your house is currently standing fine and has been standing fine for years without external lintels. What's the stigma in fitting a correctly treated angle iron when you currently have nothing at all?
Regards cavity trays do you currently have damp patches in the tops of your window reveals when it rains heavy or with driving rain? If not its not essential you need cavity trays although it would be by the book to fit them but looking at your quote it comes at a price.
Yeh, I expected it to cost more, just not this much more. It is about £630 per lintel. Maybe the one that requires fallen brickwork to be re-built would cost more than the others, but I really did expect an overall quote this high. It is for the exterior leaf lintel only. I was expecting it would be in the 1500-2000 price range.
I cannot afford that....so, looks like I shall have to accept a lesser alternative.
I cannot afford that....so, looks like I shall have to accept a lesser alternative.
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