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I note that this is a subject that comes up now and again.
Bought a 1930s house early cavity wall which had new uPVC windows installed 5 years ago including two big L shaped bays downstairs and upstairs. They are offset so that the bottom floor has a little flat roof above.
As the house is rendered it was assumed (by us and the surveyor) that there was a lintel running across such a long span but when I took off the thick wall paper it revealed all the bricks had cracked along the mortar joints.
There is a corner post on the external leaf but no support for the internal leaf of the cavity.
There is a simple lintel on the short branch of the L shape but this is not cantilevered and has dropped with only the corner post holding it up.
Clearly the original crittal or wood frame was structural.
We have a FENSA cert and the company had previously told us that they can transfer guarantee to new owner for a fee.
It looks like a complete mess job and measuring it, there is a 4xcm difference in the corner window from the drop. I suspect the small lintel started to drop and the corner post was put in to stop it going further.
From my understanding - one of there reasons for FENSA was to ensure that this wouldn't happen so should I reasonably ask the installer to fix the damage.
My dad says that as the bricks above the window have little weight as the joist of the flat foot section run in the same direction as the windows. So he reckons take out all the bricks and replace with an insulated timber frame panel.
What would you do?
Bought a 1930s house early cavity wall which had new uPVC windows installed 5 years ago including two big L shaped bays downstairs and upstairs. They are offset so that the bottom floor has a little flat roof above.
As the house is rendered it was assumed (by us and the surveyor) that there was a lintel running across such a long span but when I took off the thick wall paper it revealed all the bricks had cracked along the mortar joints.
There is a corner post on the external leaf but no support for the internal leaf of the cavity.
There is a simple lintel on the short branch of the L shape but this is not cantilevered and has dropped with only the corner post holding it up.
Clearly the original crittal or wood frame was structural.
We have a FENSA cert and the company had previously told us that they can transfer guarantee to new owner for a fee.
It looks like a complete mess job and measuring it, there is a 4xcm difference in the corner window from the drop. I suspect the small lintel started to drop and the corner post was put in to stop it going further.
From my understanding - one of there reasons for FENSA was to ensure that this wouldn't happen so should I reasonably ask the installer to fix the damage.
My dad says that as the bricks above the window have little weight as the joist of the flat foot section run in the same direction as the windows. So he reckons take out all the bricks and replace with an insulated timber frame panel.
What would you do?
