how do I tackle this series of jobs?

[Daniel3103]

Hello,
I am looking for advice about a series of jobs that need doing on the back of my bungalow.
Initially, I was thinking of getting the rendering renewed where there is still old rendering on my bungalow. However, it occurred to me that one particular corner of the bungalow was worse than elsewhere, because of the rendering peeling off on that part of wall and rainwater leaking inside the bungalow from there. So I decided to remove the old rendering around the affected corner to see what was happening.
Having done that, some problems became apparent. I can now understand why rainwater was leaking inside the bungalow. See the attached photos.
Three things are now obvious to me: the lintel needs replacing, so does the little bit of block above the French doors near the centre-right, and so does the lead that joins the conservatory to the bungalow. I also need to remove enough rendering above the conservatory to expose the whole length of lead. However, I am not sure whether the French doors need replacing, and neither am I sure whether repairs are needed to the blockwork beyond the small piece above the doors.
For the sake of clarity, the rainwater leak has been happening from above the French doors. The top of the conservatory was not leaking on the side of the French doors (photo 3), but it has been leaking on the other side (photo 4).
My questions are:
– How do I remove the rendering above the conservatory to expose the lead? Are there some chemicals I can pour over this rendering to loosen it, in those places where it is holding fast? Which tool will best allow me to reach everywhere I need to and remove the rendering without using a scaffold? I need to reach up to the conservatory’s ridge.
– Should I call a UPVC window company to check the state of the French doors before work is done on the lintel and the blockwork above, or vice-versa?
– Is it best to replace this wooden lintel with a concrete one?
– Whose job is it to replace the lintel? The French door fitters’, if the doors need replacing? A carpenter’s? A bricklayer’s? Would a good handyman or jack-of-all-trades be able to do it well?
I would appreciate some advice.

 

[23vc]

The only safe way to work up there is Scaffolding or a sturdy tower. Where is the water coming in? The French doors are unlikely to need replacing unless there’s something specifically wrong with them. The lintel could be fitted by a decent window fitter if they were replaced, or a builder if not.
The bit of cut block on the right is ok, might fall out during lintel work but it’s just a cut piece.
Apart from the rotten lintel, what’s the actual issue? How come various bits of plastic look like they’ve melted?!

 

[Daniel3103]

The only safe way to work up there is Scaffolding or a sturdy tower. Where is the water coming in? The French doors are unlikely to need replacing unless there’s something specifically wrong with them. The lintel could be fitted by a decent window fitter if they were replaced, or a builder if not.
The bit of cut block on the right is ok, might fall out during lintel work but it’s just a cut piece.
Apart from the rotten lintel, what’s the actual issue? How come various bits of plastic look like they’ve melted?!

The water is coming in:
– inside the bungalow from the top of the French doors around the centre, notably where this small piece of loose cut block with holes is, so I don’t think that piece is OK; and
– inside the conservatory on the other side, from the juncture with the bungalow where the lead is still covered with rendering (photo 4).

Some of the plastic looks like it has melted because I had stuck some materials to it. The plastic has not melted, what you are seeing are traces of glue. I am not worried about this as I could just clean those traces off.

It is also clear that the lead is no longer stuck properly at the juncture between the conservatory’s roof and the bungalow. That is visible on the third photo, where I have removed the rendering above the lead. That is why I want to remove the rendering above the whole length of lead, from one side of the conservatory to the other, so that I can see the state of the lead where it is currently hidden. I was hoping to be able to do that without climbing onto the roof, by finding a suitable long pole, standing on a stepladder on each side of the conservatory in turn and removing the rendering all over the lead up to the middle of the conservatory. I think I could reach far enough with a suitable pole.