Bideford · Devon
Brick arch repairs in Bideford
Rebuilding an arch in Bideford is a precise job: a former cut to the exact curve, tight joints and a keystone set at the right height. Done well, the new arch looks as though it was always there.
Guide price from£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- EX39
- Population
- about 29,000
- Area
- Devon
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Devon?
With roughly 29,000 people, Bideford spans postcode districts EX39 in Devon. Neighbouring towns we cover: Barnstaple (8 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Devon than in south-east England. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. What you mostly find across Devon: cob and stone cottages, Victorian terraces in Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay, and post-war estates.
Brick arch repairs prices in Bideford
Guide prices below are for homes in Bideford, on South West 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. | £410 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £925 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,850 – £2,700 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
Lime mortar repairs
On older houses built in soft brick and lime, the arch is rebuilt or repointed in a lime mortar matched to the original. Lime lets moisture escape and moves slightly with the wall, so it protects the bricks rather than forcing damage into them, as hard cement mortar can.
Best for: Pre-1919 houses and soft historic brick
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
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.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Bideford
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Bideford?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bideford start from about £410 per arch, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Bideford?
Yes, Bideford is covered, along with postcode districts EX39. We also cover nearby Barnstaple.
Why do houses in Devon crack?
Devon's ground is mostly older mudstones, sandstones and granite, so shrinkable-clay subsidence is less widespread than further east. Older solid-walled and cob buildings, steep sites and retaining walls are the more common structural concerns. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Related work in Bideford
- Wall tie replacement
- Crack stitching
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Structural crack repairs
Brick arch repairs near Bideford
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Bideford arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.