Plymouth · Devon
Brick arch repairs in Plymouth
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Plymouth and beyond, and it rarely fixes itself. We look at whether the arch bricks are sound and whether the wall either side has moved, then recommend the lighter repair where it will work.
Guide price from£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PL1, PL3, PL4
- Population
- about 260,000
- Area
- Devon
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Devon prone to ground movement?
Plymouth, Devon: about 260,000 residents across postcode districts PL1, PL3, PL4. Nearby places we cover include Saltash (4 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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
Brick arch repairs prices in Plymouth
These are guide prices for Plymouth, using South West 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. | £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
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
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?
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 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 Plymouth
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Plymouth?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Plymouth 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Plymouth?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Plymouth, including PL1, PL3, PL4, and from nearby places such as Saltash. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Plymouth cause cracking?
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Plymouth
Brick arch repairs near Plymouth
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Plymouth; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.