Omagh · County Tyrone
Brick arch repairs in Omagh
If you live in a period home in Omagh, the arches over your windows were probably laid in lime mortar. Rebuilding them in lime, with the original bricks cleaned and reused, keeps the wall breathing and the repair hard to spot.
Guide price from£350per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BT78
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- County Tyrone
- Pricing region
- Northern Ireland
What should you know about the ground under Omagh?
Omagh (BT78) has around 21,000 residents and sits in County Tyrone. We also take enquiries from nearby Strabane (17 miles), Enniskillen (22 miles) and Cookstown (22 miles).
Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in County Tyrone, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first. Parts of County Tyrone lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across County Tyrone: market-town terraces, rural houses and post-war estates.
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Omagh
These are guide prices for Omagh, using Northern Ireland rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 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
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 will brick arch repairs cost in Omagh?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Omagh 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 Omagh?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Omagh, including BT78, and from nearby places such as Strabane and Enniskillen. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in County Tyrone prone to subsidence?
Tyrone has glacial till over varied rock, with a small historic coalfield around Coalisland near Dungannon. 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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Omagh
- Underpinning
- Concrete repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Wall tie replacement
Brick arch repairs near Omagh
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Omagh home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.