Falmouth · Cornwall
Brick arch repairs in Falmouth
Before repairing a brick arch at a Falmouth property, we check what sits behind it. A rotting timber lintel on the inner face is a frequent hidden cause, and fixing only the visible arch would leave the real problem in place.
Guide price from£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TR11
- Population
- about 32,000
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Falmouth?
We cover Falmouth and its postcode districts TR11, part of Cornwall, with a population of roughly 32,000. If you are just outside Falmouth, we also cover Truro (8 miles), Redruth (9 miles) and Camborne (11 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Cornwall than in south-east England. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Across Cornwall, most homes are granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Falmouth?
The ranges below reflect typical South West costs for brick arch repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £410 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £925 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,850 – £2,700 | per opening |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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.
Support the opening
Props carry the brickwork above, and for a rebuild a former is made to the exact profile of the arch. The window or door frame is protected so it is not asked to carry any load.
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.
Rules for brick arch repairs in England
Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Your brick arch repairs questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Falmouth?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Falmouth start from about £410 per arch, including VAT, on South West 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 Falmouth?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Falmouth, including TR11, and from nearby places such as Truro and Redruth. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Falmouth cause cracking?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
Do flat brick arches need a lintel?
Many flat soldier arches were built with a hidden steel bar or timber behind, because they have little true arch action. When repairing one, we check what is supporting it and, where needed, reinforce it with bars or add suitable support behind.
More repairs we carry out in Falmouth
- Subsidence repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
Brick arch repairs near Falmouth
Have several dropped arches along one Falmouth elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.