Basildon · Essex
Brick arch repairs in Basildon
If you live in a period home in Basildon, 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£420per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SS13, SS14, SS15, SS16
- Population
- about 140,000
- Area
- Essex
- Pricing region
- East of England
Is Essex prone to ground movement?
With roughly 140,000 people, Basildon spans postcode districts SS13, SS14, SS15, SS16 in Essex. Nearby, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (3 miles), Wickford (4 miles) and Billericay (4 miles).
Much of Essex 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. Typical buildings in Essex: Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and bungalows, and large post-war new-town estates in Basildon and Harlow.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
Brick arch repairs prices in Basildon
Guide prices below are for homes in Basildon, on East of England rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £420 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £945 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,900 – £2,750 | per opening |
How we usually approach 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
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
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
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 Basildon
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Basildon?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Basildon start from about £420 per arch, including VAT, on East of England rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Basildon?
Yes, Basildon is covered, along with postcode districts SS13, SS14, SS15, SS16. We also cover nearby Stanford-le-Hope and Wickford.
Is the ground in Essex prone to subsidence?
London Clay covers much of south and central Essex and boulder clay much of the north, making it one of the counties most affected by clay shrinkage in dry summers. Street and garden trees close to houses add to the risk. 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.
Can a dropped arch be repaired without rebuilding it?
Yes, if the drop is small and the brickwork is in good condition. Bars bonded into the joints above can take the load off the arch and hold it in place. If the bricks are loose or the arch has dropped badly, rebuilding is the more reliable repair.
Other structural repairs in Basildon
- Wall tie replacement
- Crack stitching
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Basildon
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Basildon home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.