Haverfordwest · Dyfed
Brick arch repairs in Haverfordwest
Rebuilding an arch in Haverfordwest 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SA61
- Population
- about 15,000
- Area
- Dyfed
- Pricing region
- Wales
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Haverfordwest?
Haverfordwest is in Dyfed and takes in postcode districts SA61. About 15,000 people live there. If you are just outside Haverfordwest, we also cover Milford Haven (7 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Dyfed than in south-east England. Parts of Dyfed lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Dyfed: Stone cottages, Victorian terraces in Llanelli and Carmarthen, and post-war estates.
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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 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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
Brick arch repairs prices in Haverfordwest
These are guide prices for Haverfordwest, using Wales 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 |
Rules for brick arch repairs in Wales
In Wales, small like-for-like repairs do not usually need approval, but work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control under the Welsh Building Regulations, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to shared walls.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Haverfordwest
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Haverfordwest?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Haverfordwest start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on Wales 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 Haverfordwest?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Haverfordwest, including SA61, and from nearby places such as Milford Haven. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Dyfed crack?
The western edge of the South Wales coalfield lies beneath Llanelli, Ammanford and parts of Pembrokeshire, while the rest of the area is older hard rock with glacial deposits in the valleys. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Why has the middle of my brick arch dropped?
The centre of an arch usually drops because the bricks have lost their wedge, either because the wall at the sides has moved or the mortar has worn away. A rotting timber hidden behind the arch is another common cause. The keystone slipping is the visible result.
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 Haverfordwest
- Wall tie replacement
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Roof structure repairs
Brick arch repairs near Haverfordwest
If bricks in an arch at your Haverfordwest property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.