moving windows and doors

[ajrobb]

In a Victorian house with rotten lintels, I want to move/close/open window and door openings in 9" rendered solid brick walls. Most of the openings probably have a wooden lintel in the inner skin and a brick arch in the outer skin (they do on the brick front elevation).

Putting aside planning permission for now:

1. How best should I fill in unwanted openings with rotten lintels?

2. If I cut new openings, should I use a single 215mm lintel or what?

3. Can I (a) cut openings to fit standard metric size windows and doors or (b) must I cut to the nearest brick and pack (with layers of tile and mortar?) or (c) get windows and doors made to fit?

 

[stuart45]

If it was my house, I would build camber arches over the new openings to match the existing.
For the new windows and door frames I would knock out a larger hole and build the frames in.
Clean up the old bricks you take out and use them to fill in the old openings.