Window removed & replaced by door

[richardrich79]

We are looking to have a rear window removed and replaced with French doors.
The opening is 4' and will not be altered the wall is stone and brick.
Am I correct in assuming there's no need for any buggering about with lintel only 1 builder says no prob', a couple of lads to smash it out and a bit of line plaster to make good.
Bulder no2 amidst much humming and harrin seems to think its a much bigger job, acro jacks etc.
The existing upvc 4' window will be replaced with a 4' upvc french doors there are no services on that wall.

 

[ree]

There's no way of commenting on the question until we know what lintels are above the opening and what kind of wall you have, and has the second builder detected some structural issue(s)?

"smash" what out?

Why lime plaster?

Pics would help your cause.

 

[richardrich79]

i'll try and put some pics up tomorrow, as I said its stone and brick solid wall, there is no way of seeing what lintels are in place as externally the wall is rendered and internally plastered. The reason for Lime plaster is because it's an old building which used lime in the construction.
There is a window in the opening at the moment and ti fit the door (which is the same width ) it will be necessary to remove or as the builder says 'smash-out' the section directly underneath and including the window cill.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Is it a Victorian sash window? Its just that locally to me there have been two case of really old windows being upgraded to double glazed units and on removal of the window frame the cracked lintel gave way which in one case hit a builder on a ladder (first floor window), who then fell off and was seriously injured. The other case just resulted in the room being filled with detritus from inside the cavity. These were stone built houses. In my stone built house no problems with this specifically but to convert a window to a doorway, we needed to put in a 4" high skylight above the door to make up the height to the window lintel.

Frank