Portadown · County Armagh
Brick arch repairs in Portadown
Rebuilding an arch in Portadown is a precise job: a former cut to the exact curve, tight joints and a keystone set at the right height. Done well, the new arch looks as though it was always there.
Guide price from£350per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BT62
- Population
- about 33,000
- Area
- County Armagh
- Pricing region
- Northern Ireland
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Portadown?
Portadown (BT62) has around 33,000 residents and sits in County Armagh. Nearby, we also cover Craigavon (3 miles), Banbridge (8 miles) and Armagh (10 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in County Armagh than in south-east England. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in County Armagh: Georgian houses in Armagh, brick terraces in Portadown and Lurgan, and post-war estates.
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Portadown
Prices in Portadown are worked out on Northern Ireland 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. | £350 – £1,050 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £790 – £1,150 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,600 – £2,300 | per opening |
Methods for 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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
Rules for brick arch repairs in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, minor repairs usually need no approval, but structural work comes under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and council building control. There is no Party Wall Act in Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Portadown?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Portadown start from about £350 per arch, including VAT, on Northern Ireland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Portadown?
Yes, Portadown is covered, along with postcode districts BT62. We also cover nearby Craigavon and Banbridge.
Why do houses in County Armagh crack?
County Armagh has glacial drumlin till over older rock, with soft ground and peat near Lough Neagh. 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.
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.
Related work in Portadown
- Wall tie replacement
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Portadown
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Portadown arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.