Enniskillen · County Fermanagh
Brick arch repairs in Enniskillen
Older Enniskillen 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
- BT74
- Population
- about 14,000
- Area
- County Fermanagh
- Pricing region
- Northern Ireland
Is County Fermanagh prone to ground movement?
Postcode districts BT74 cover Enniskillen, a County Fermanagh town of about 14,000 people. We also take enquiries from nearby Lisnaskea (10 miles) and Omagh (22 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in County Fermanagh than in south-east England. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across County Fermanagh: town houses in Enniskillen, rural cottages and post-war estates.
Signs you may need 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
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Enniskillen?
For Enniskillen 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Enniskillen?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Enniskillen?
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.
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.
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.
Brick arch repairs in Enniskillen: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Enniskillen?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Enniskillen 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 Enniskillen?
Survey visits to Enniskillen are by arrangement because of travel and access. We can still give a free initial view from photos, and we tell you any travel cost before a visit is booked.
Is the ground in County Fermanagh prone to subsidence?
Fermanagh has limestone, sandstone and glacial till around the lakes, with soft lakeshore ground in places. 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 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.
Other structural repairs in Enniskillen
Brick arch repairs near Enniskillen
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Enniskillen home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.