Newton Abbot · Devon
Brick arch repairs in Newton Abbot
If you live in a period home in Newton Abbot, 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£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TQ12
- Population
- about 36,000
- Area
- Devon
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Devon prone to ground movement?
Newton Abbot is in Devon and takes in postcode districts TQ12. About 36,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Torquay (6 miles), Paignton (7 miles) and Brixham (10 miles).
Most of Devon is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Across Devon, most homes are cob and stone cottages, Victorian terraces in Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay, and post-war estates.
Brick arch repairs prices in Newton Abbot
Guide prices below are for homes in Newton Abbot, 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
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 happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- 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 Newton Abbot
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Newton Abbot?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Newton Abbot 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.
Do you cover Newton Abbot?
We do. Newton Abbot and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Torquay and Paignton. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Devon prone to subsidence?
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.
Can a dropped arch be repaired without rebuilding it?
Yes, if the drop is small and the brickwork is in good condition. Bars bonded into the joints above can take the load off the arch and hold it in place. If the bricks are loose or the arch has dropped badly, rebuilding is the more reliable repair.
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.
Other structural repairs in Newton Abbot
- Roof structure repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Concrete repairs
Brick arch repairs near Newton Abbot
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Newton Abbot; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.