Forfar · Angus and Dundee
Brick arch repairs in Forfar
Older Forfar houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DD8
- Population
- about 14,000
- Area
- Angus and Dundee
- Pricing region
- Scotland
What is the ground like in Angus and Dundee?
Postcode districts DD8 cover Forfar, a Angus and Dundee town of about 14,000 people. If you are just outside Forfar, we also cover Carnoustie (12 miles), Dundee (12 miles) and Arbroath (13 miles).
Most of Angus and Dundee is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Angus and Dundee: Sandstone tenements in Dundee, fishing-town houses and post-war estates.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Forfar?
Guide prices below are for homes in Forfar, on Scotland rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £380 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £855 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,700 – £2,450 | per opening |
Repair options we may recommend
Rebuilding both faces
Where the arch shows inside as well as outside, or a rotten timber behind it has also failed, both faces are rebuilt. The inner timber is replaced with a suitable lintel, and the outer arch is reformed in front. The two are worked in sequence so the wall is supported throughout.
Best for: Arches with a failed timber or inner face
Lime mortar repairs
On older houses built in soft brick and lime, the arch is rebuilt or repointed in a lime mortar matched to the original. Lime lets moisture escape and moves slightly with the wall, so it protects the bricks rather than forcing damage into them, as hard cement mortar can.
Best for: Pre-1919 houses and soft historic brick
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
Choose reinforce or rebuild
We recommend reinforcement where the arch is sound and only slightly displaced, and a rebuild where it has dropped badly or bricks are loose. If the wall beside the opening is moving, that is dealt with first.
Repair the arch
Bars are bonded into the joints above a sound arch, or the arch is taken down and relaid over the former using the original bricks where possible, with matched replacements for any that are damaged.
Strike the former and point
Once the mortar has cured enough, the former and props are removed. Joints are finished to match the surrounding wall, and any cracks running from the arch into the wall are repaired at the same visit.
Rules for brick arch repairs in Scotland
In Scotland, small repairs often do not need a building warrant, but structural alterations and strengthening generally do. Check with the council’s building standards service if unsure; there is no Party Wall Act in Scotland.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Forfar?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Forfar start from about £380 per arch, including VAT, on Scotland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Forfar?
Yes, Forfar is covered, along with postcode districts DD8. We also cover nearby Carnoustie and Dundee.
Is the ground in Angus and Dundee prone to subsidence?
Angus and Dundee sit on Old Red Sandstone and igneous rock with glacial and raised-beach deposits. Hillside sites in Dundee mean retaining walls are common. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Is a dropped brick arch dangerous?
A slightly dropped arch is not usually an immediate danger, but it is no longer carrying load as it should and tends to worsen. Loose bricks that could fall, or a fast-growing crack above, need prompt attention. Do not rely on the window frame to hold it.
Why has the middle of my brick arch dropped?
The centre of an arch usually drops because the bricks have lost their wedge, either because the wall at the sides has moved or the mortar has worn away. A rotting timber hidden behind the arch is another common cause. The keystone slipping is the visible result.
Other structural repairs in Forfar
- Roof structure repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Retaining wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Forfar
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Forfar; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.