How Much Does Door or Window Lintel Replacement Cost? [2026 Data]

In 2026, the national average cost for door or window lintel replacement is $460. Most homeowners pay between $280 and $640, with the spread driven by lintel material, project complexity, and your location. If your lintel shows serious cracks or sagging, budget for additional labor to address deteriorating wall materials during the replacement.

Lintel Replacement Cost Factors: What Determines the Price?

Lintel replacement costs depend on several variables, including material choice, wall condition, and where the lintel is located in your home. Originally decorative, lintels are now structural elements that support the wall above doors and windows, making proper replacement essential to your home's integrity.

Labor

Labor for lintel replacement typically runs $45 to $60 per hour, though hiring a brick mason for brick or stone work averages $70 per hour. Accessibility challenges and safety requirements on your specific job site can push labor costs toward the higher end of that range.

The State and Material of the Wall

Some lintel beams are harder to repair or replace than others. Depending on what is happening with your window or door lintel beam, the following signs may indicate a steeper project cost:

• Serious cracks that will need advanced repairs

• Beam header is sagging or not

• Deteriorating wall materials (a sign that a beam may be rusting and corroding the surrounding area)

The Condition and Age of the Door

A contractor will take into account the current condition of your doors or windows. This may affect the project total depending on their assessment.

The Condition of Your Lintel

Is the lintel falling apart? Is it difficult to remove? The condition and accessibility of the lintel can incur more cost if it requires additional labor and safety precautions.

The Location of Your Lintel

Where your lintel is located is one of the strongest predictors of total repair cost, with window lintels running $150 to $400 (labor included), door lintels landing closer to the $400 mark, and garage lintels costing the most at $200 to $700 depending on repair complexity and time required.

Lintel Replacement Material Costs: Which Material Fits Your Budget?

Lintel material is the primary driver of replacement cost, with prices ranging from $45 to $300 per piece across options like steel, timber, stone, concrete, and brick. Costs are calculated by linear foot rather than by the completed piece, so the final price scales with the width of your door or window opening. Here is how lintel replacement costs break down by material and average cost per linear foot in 2026:

Steel

Houses built in the 1950s and later used metal lintels. Steel lintels are a popular choice for construction and masonry because they are lightweight and easy to customize. This type of lintel can handle bigger openings and heavier loads, so it's typically on the costlier end of the price spectrum.

Brick

If you have a brick wall surrounding the window or door, the lintel may also be made of reinforced brick. Brick lintels are preferred when the span of the door or window is less than 3 feet long; this type of lintel also integrates better with a brick wall construction than their steel counterparts.

Wood

Wood lintels, commonly found in older homes, are typically made from oak, hickory, or walnut hardwood and average $25 to $30 per linear foot. The specific species of wood you choose is the main factor that moves the price within that range.

Concrete

Concrete is a more flexible lintel option than steel and is better for coastal regions where the air may be corrosive to steel beams. Concrete is also less expensive than steel; however, it does not have the same strength-to-weight ratio.

Stone

Even though stone lintels are heavy and not recommended because they can't withstand much pressure, they are still commonly used because of their durability, availability, and aesthetic.

Why You Should Hire a Masonry Pro

Regardless of your comfort level with DIY projects around the house, you should absolutely leave window lintel replacement to the professionals. A local mason has all the experience and tools needed to get the job done.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a masonry pro

Window and door lintels are extremely difficult to repair and replace. Here’s why you should leave this job to the pros:

• Working on window lintels requires highly specialized knowledge, skills, and tools. Most homeowners lack the necessary technical expertise or equipment to complete this job.

• Masons carry liability insurance. Should they make a mistake, you don’t have to worry about the cost to address it. If you make a mistake when DIYing, you’re on your own.

• Such mistakes are easy to make when replacing the window lintel yourself. Not only can they be costly to fix, but they can also threaten the structural integrity of the wall. Improperly installed window lintels can cause a chain reaction across other load-bearing walls.

• This is back-breaking work. It’s grueling and requires a lot of muscle—and a lot of time.

Ways to Save Money On Replacing Lintels

Window lintel replacements are not terribly expensive to replace so while you’ll find some ideas below, we recommend not offsetting the amount saved with hours of your time. Some ways to save are:

• Consider using less expensive or recycled materials. 

• Add or replace lintels while performing other work on the window or door. 

• Use discount codes for referrals. 

• Wait for sales. 

• Schedule the work when your pro isn’t busy with other projects. 

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.