Brick arch repairs in Newquay

Postcodes: TR7
Population: about 20,000
Area: Cornwall
Pricing region: South West

What should you know about the ground under Newquay?

We cover Newquay and its postcode districts TR7, part of Cornwall, with a population of roughly 20,000. We also take enquiries from nearby Truro (10 miles), St Austell (14 miles) and Redruth (14 miles).

Most of Cornwall is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. 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.

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.
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.

Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs

The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather

What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Newquay?

These are guide prices for Newquay, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on South West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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

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

How much will brick arch repairs cost in Newquay?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Newquay 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 cover Newquay?

Yes. We take enquiries from across Newquay, including TR7, and from nearby places such as Truro and St Austell. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.

Is the ground in Cornwall prone to subsidence?

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.

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.

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.

Other structural repairs in Newquay

Brick arch repairs near Newquay

Have several dropped arches along one Newquay elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.