Dronfield · Derbyshire
Brick arch repairs in Dronfield
Before repairing a brick arch at a Dronfield property, we check what sits behind it. A rotting timber lintel on the inner face is a frequent hidden cause, and fixing only the visible arch would leave the real problem in place.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- S18
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- Derbyshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Why does the ground in Derbyshire matter for brick arch repairs?
Dronfield (S18) has around 21,000 residents and sits in Derbyshire. We also take enquiries from nearby Chesterfield (4 miles), Sheffield (6 miles) and Rotherham (10 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Derbyshire. Parts of Derbyshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Derbyshire: Brick terraces in former mining towns, gritstone cottages in the Peak, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Dronfield?
Guide prices below are for homes in Dronfield, on East Midlands 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. | £390 – £1,200 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £880 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,750 – £2,550 | per opening |
Rules for brick arch repairs in England
Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Your brick arch repairs questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Dronfield?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Dronfield start from about £390 per arch, including VAT, on East Midlands rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you carry out brick arch repairs in Dronfield?
We do. Dronfield and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Chesterfield and Sheffield. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Dronfield cause cracking?
East Derbyshire, including Chesterfield, Ilkeston and Heanor, lies on the Coal Measures with a long history of shallow and deep coal mining. The Peak District to the west is limestone and gritstone, and Derby itself sits largely on Mercia Mudstone. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Dronfield
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Dronfield
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Dronfield; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.