Stockton-on-Tees · County Durham
Brick arch repairs in Stockton-on-Tees
If you live in a period home in Stockton-on-Tees, 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TS18, TS19, TS20
- Population
- about 80,000
- Area
- County Durham
- Pricing region
- North East
Why does the ground in County Durham matter for brick arch repairs?
Stockton-on-Tees is in County Durham and takes in postcode districts TS18, TS19, TS20. About 80,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Thornaby-on-Tees (3 miles), Middlesbrough (3 miles) and Yarm (5 miles).
Parts of County Durham have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of County Durham, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. What you mostly find across County Durham: colliery terraces, stone and brick villas in Durham and Darlington, and post-war council estates.
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
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Brick arch repairs prices in Stockton-on-Tees
These are guide prices for Stockton-on-Tees, using North East 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. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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
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 Stockton-on-Tees
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Stockton-on-Tees?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Stockton-on-Tees start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on North East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Stockton-on-Tees?
Yes, Stockton-on-Tees is covered, along with postcode districts TS18, TS19, TS20. We also cover nearby Thornaby-on-Tees and Middlesbrough.
Is the ground in County Durham prone to subsidence?
Much of County Durham sits on the Durham Coalfield, worked for centuries, often under a cover of glacial clay. Many former pit villages have recorded mine workings, and coal mining searches are standard for property here. 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.
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 Stockton-on-Tees
Brick arch repairs near Stockton-on-Tees
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Stockton-on-Tees; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.