Broxburn · Edinburgh and the Lothians
Brick arch repairs in Broxburn
If you live in a period home in Broxburn, 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£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- EH52
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Pricing region
- Scotland
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Broxburn?
Broxburn (EH52) has around 16,000 residents and sits in Edinburgh and the Lothians. If you are just outside Broxburn, we also cover Livingston (3 miles), Linlithgow (6 miles) and Bathgate (7 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Edinburgh and the Lothians than in south-east England. Parts of Edinburgh and the Lothians lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Edinburgh and the Lothians: sandstone tenements and Georgian terraces, miners' rows, bungalows and post-war 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
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
Brick arch repairs prices in Broxburn
These are guide prices for Broxburn, using Scotland 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. | £380 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £855 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,700 – £2,450 | 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 Scotland
In Scotland, small repairs often do not need a building warrant, but structural alterations and strengthening generally do. Check with the council’s building standards service if unsure; there is no Party Wall Act in Scotland.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Broxburn
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Broxburn?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Broxburn start from about £380 per arch, including VAT, on Scotland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Broxburn?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Broxburn, including EH52, and from nearby places such as Livingston and Linlithgow. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Edinburgh and the Lothians prone to subsidence?
Edinburgh is volcanic and sedimentary rock with glacial till, while the Midlothian and East Lothian coalfields and oil-shale workings in West Lothian have left recorded mine workings and bings. 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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Broxburn
- Underpinning
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Subsidence repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Brick arch repairs near Broxburn
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Broxburn arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.