County Down · Northern Ireland
Brick arch repairs in County Down
Homes in County Down are mostly Victorian seaside houses in Bangor and Holywood. That matters for brick arch repairs: footings, wall construction and mortar all vary with the age of the building. Most of County Down is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east.
Guide price from£350per arch inc VAT
- Area
- County Down
- Pricing region
- Northern Ireland
- Ground
- Mostly firmer ground
- Towns listed
- 6
What is the ground like in County Down?
County Down is mostly drumlin till over older rock and granite in the Mournes, with soft estuarine ground around Belfast Lough and Strangford.
Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in County Down: Victorian seaside houses in Bangor and Holywood, brick terraces and post-war estates.
Which repair method suits a home in County Down?
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
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
Reinforcing a sound arch
Where the arch has only dropped slightly and the bricks are sound, stainless helical bars are bonded into the bed joints just above it, extending well into the wall on each side. The bars turn the courses above into a reinforced band of masonry, so the arch no longer has to carry the full load. Joints are repointed to match.
Best for: Slightly dropped or cracked arches with sound bricks
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in County Down?
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.
Signs you may need 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
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
How much will brick arch repairs cost in County Down?
For County Down we use Northern Ireland rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
Do you need approval 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.
Brick arch repairs near you in County Down
Brick arch repairs in County Down: questions and answers
Does the ground around Bangor cause cracking?
County Down is mostly drumlin till over older rock and granite in the Mournes, with soft estuarine ground around Belfast Lough and Strangford. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.
How much will brick arch repairs cost in County Down?
On Northern Ireland rates, brick arch repairs starts from about £350 per arch, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
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.
What is a former in arch building?
A former, sometimes called a centre, is a temporary timber frame cut to the exact shape of the arch. It supports the bricks while the arch is laid and the mortar cures, and is removed once the arch can carry itself.
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.