Penicuik · Edinburgh and the Lothians
Brick arch repairs in Penicuik
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Penicuik 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£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- EH26
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Pricing region
- Scotland
Is Edinburgh and the Lothians prone to ground movement?
With roughly 16,000 people, Penicuik spans postcode districts EH26 in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Nearby places we cover include Bonnyrigg (6 miles), Mayfield (8 miles) and Edinburgh (8 miles).
Most of Edinburgh and the Lothians is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. 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. Housing stock in Edinburgh and the Lothians: Sandstone tenements and Georgian terraces, miners' rows, bungalows and post-war estates.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Penicuik
For Penicuik we use Scotland 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. | £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 |
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 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
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.
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.
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 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Penicuik?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Penicuik 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Penicuik?
We do. Penicuik and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Bonnyrigg and Mayfield. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Penicuik cause cracking?
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.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Penicuik
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Retaining wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
Brick arch repairs near Penicuik
Have several dropped arches along one Penicuik elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.