Abergele · Clwyd
Brick arch repairs in Abergele
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Abergele and beyond, and it rarely fixes itself. We look at whether the arch bricks are sound and whether the wall either side has moved, then recommend the lighter repair where it will work.
Guide price from£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LL22
- Population
- about 11,000
- Area
- Clwyd
- Pricing region
- Wales
Is Clwyd prone to ground movement?
We cover Abergele and its postcode districts LL22, part of Clwyd, with a population of roughly 11,000. Neighbouring towns we cover: Rhyl (4 miles), Colwyn Bay (6 miles) and Prestatyn (8 miles).
Clwyd has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Clwyd lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Clwyd: brick colliery terraces, seaside villas in Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, and post-war estates.
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
Rebuilding over a former
A timber former is cut to the arch profile and propped under the opening. The old arch is carefully taken down, bricks cleaned for reuse, and the arch rebuilt over the former with tight joints and a properly set keystone. The former stays until the mortar is strong enough to carry the load.
Best for: Badly dropped arches or ones with loose voussoirs
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
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
Look at the arch closely
Straight-on photos of the arch and the wall either side show us how far it has dropped, whether the bricks are sound and whether the cause seems to be the arch itself or the wall around it.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Brick arch repairs prices in Abergele
Prices in Abergele are worked out on Wales rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | per opening |
Rules for brick arch repairs in Wales
In Wales, small like-for-like repairs do not usually need approval, but work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control under the Welsh Building Regulations, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to shared walls.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Abergele
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Abergele?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Abergele start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on Wales rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out brick arch repairs in Abergele?
Yes, Abergele is covered, along with postcode districts LL22. We also cover nearby Rhyl and Colwyn Bay.
Does the ground around Abergele cause cracking?
The North Wales coalfield runs beneath parts of Wrexham and Flintshire, where historic workings are recorded, while the coast and vale have glacial clays and the hills are older hard rock. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can a dropped arch be repaired without rebuilding it?
Yes, if the drop is small and the brickwork is in good condition. Bars bonded into the joints above can take the load off the arch and hold it in place. If the bricks are loose or the arch has dropped badly, rebuilding is the more reliable repair.
Can you match the original bricks?
Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.
More repairs we carry out in Abergele
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Bowing wall repairs
- Crack stitching
- Retaining wall repairs
- Roof structure repairs
Brick arch repairs near Abergele
If bricks in an arch at your Abergele property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.