Bangor · County Down
Brick arch repairs in Bangor
Older Bangor houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£350per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BT19, BT20
- Population
- about 61,000
- Area
- County Down
- Pricing region
- Northern Ireland
Why does the ground in County Down matter for brick arch repairs?
We cover Bangor and its postcode districts BT19, BT20, part of County Down, with a population of roughly 61,000. If you are just outside Bangor, we also cover Newtownards (5 miles), Holywood (6 miles) and Downpatrick (23 miles).
Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in County Down, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first. 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.
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Bangor?
Guide prices below are for homes in Bangor, on Northern Ireland rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| 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 |
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
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 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.
Strike the former and point
Once the mortar has cured enough, the former and props are removed. Joints are finished to match the surrounding wall, and any cracks running from the arch into the wall are repaired at the same visit.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Bangor?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bangor 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.
Do you cover Bangor?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Bangor, including BT19, BT20, and from nearby places such as Newtownards and Holywood. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in County Down prone to subsidence?
County Down is mostly drumlin till over older rock and granite in the Mournes, with soft estuarine ground around Belfast Lough and Strangford. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
Should a brick arch be repaired with lime mortar?
On older houses built with soft bricks and lime, yes, in most cases. Lime mortar lets the wall breathe and is weaker than the brick, so any movement or frost damage happens in the joints rather than the bricks. Modern hard brickwork can take a cement-based mortar.
Other structural repairs in Bangor
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Bangor
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Bangor; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.