Wall/window query

Be grateful for any thoughts on this.

I have recently had a new wall built to the front of my house - this is the main breeze block wall and the bricks (with insulation in the middle).

The old wall was conrete whereas this is breezeblock and brick.

As a result I have my window set in the bricks right to the top of the house so it is level with my fascia. The window is only screwed into the bricks at the side (as there is nothing above it). Building control will look at it - but is this generally considered a strong enough fix - bearing in mind people pull and pushing at the door handle over many years?

Secondly - where the breeze block wall is, the lintel is concrete and is set slightly hiegher than the window (the window stops where the fascia is but the load bearing wall goes higher up to the wall plate).

This means when you are standing in the inside looking out of the window the breeze block wall has a hole that is larger than the window - the breeze block has a lintel at the top. My builder has suggested I can just get the plasterer to box in the gap

See photo
http://1drv.ms/1mgXFN0

I wodnered whether this is acceptable practice?

I ran it by a plasterer who said it is do-able but I could ask that the lintel is lowered and breezeblocks put above it -so rather than boxing in with plasterboard I just have 1 sheet that is flat (i.e will have 1 plasterboard on each edge/side making a rectangle shape)

I would prefer a more solid or 'full' wall but would it make any difference in the long run?

 

I think the way I have taken the photo might make it look like the wall in not straight up.

The lintel has been used as that is the top of the wall - lintel is only above the wall - the window does not have a lintel there as it goes t othe top of the house/fascia and there is no space (been approved by surveyor).

Can you advise what you think should happen with the lintel?

 

just to clarify the concrete lintel is right at thetop of the wall - there is nothign above it appart fro mthe wooden wall plate for the roof - i would have preffered the lintel at the same level as the top of the window with blocks above it - so there would be less boxing in.

 

Window - on the outside the window has bricks at the sides and bottom and nothing on top - it will meet the height of the fascia so will not have a lintel on top.

Lintel - the breeze block wall as shown - the lintel is at the top with the roof wood on top. There is nothing directly underneath the lintel on the outside. Underneath what is shown in the picture there is more breeze blocks and it goes down to the next floor.

The idea is that plasterboard is used to box in the gap you can see (i.e that wooden bit will effectivley be not visible as the boxing in will cover it.

I take your point about that final block not being staggered though.

 

I presume so - he is in touch with my surveyor and my surveyor says this is common

I had to have it like that as if i put the windows down lower they are too close to the floor.

 

Do you mean the window being at the top or the requirement for boxing in?

I would agree that the lintel should be level with the top of the window - hence my asking.

 

The window was one I had before - being reused - from the outside the windows is as high as the fascia - i.e it cannot go any higher

obviously inside the house the wall is higher then why there is a gap.

the question is ultimatley shoudl the wall on the inside match the hole of the window or does it not matter. obviously i owuld prefer it to match so thel intel is lower and I have mroe of a breeze block wall over boxed in plasterboard.