Lewes · East Sussex
Brick arch repairs in Lewes
If you live in a period home in Lewes, 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£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BN7
- Population
- about 17,000
- Area
- East Sussex
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Lewes?
We cover Lewes and its postcode districts BN7, part of East Sussex, with a population of roughly 17,000. If you are just outside Lewes, we also cover Peacehaven (6 miles), Brighton (7 miles) and Uckfield (8 miles).
Much of East Sussex sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in East Sussex: Regency and Victorian terraces on the coast, Wealden timber-framed houses, and inter-war bungalows and semis.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Lewes
For Lewes we use South East rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £450 – £1,350 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,000 – £1,450 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,000 – £2,900 | per opening |
Methods for 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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Lewes?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Lewes start from about £450 per arch, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Lewes?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Lewes, including BN7, and from nearby places such as Peacehaven and Brighton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in East Sussex prone to subsidence?
Inland East Sussex is Weald Clay and Wealden sands, while the South Downs and the coast around Brighton and Eastbourne are chalk. The Weald Clay areas are prone to shrink-swell movement near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do flat brick arches need a lintel?
Many flat soldier arches were built with a hidden steel bar or timber behind, because they have little true arch action. When repairing one, we check what is supporting it and, where needed, reinforce it with bars or add suitable support behind.
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 Lewes
- Bowing wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Brick arch repairs near Lewes
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Lewes arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.