Brick arch repairs in Strabane

Postcodes: BT82
Population: about 14,000
Area: County Tyrone
Pricing region: Northern Ireland

How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Strabane?

Strabane (BT82) has around 14,000 residents and sits in County Tyrone. Neighbouring towns we cover: Derry (14 miles) and Omagh (17 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. Housing stock in County Tyrone: Market-town terraces, rural houses and post-war estates.

Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs

Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest

What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Strabane?

Guide prices below are for homes in Strabane, on Northern Ireland rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.

Guide prices inc VAT on Northern Ireland rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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.
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.

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 Strabane?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Strabane 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 Strabane?

We do. Strabane and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Derry and Omagh. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.

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.

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.

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.

Other structural repairs in Strabane

Brick arch repairs near Strabane

Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Strabane; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.