Braintree · Essex
Brick arch repairs in Braintree
Older Braintree houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£420per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CM7, CM77
- Population
- about 53,000
- Area
- Essex
- Pricing region
- East of England
What is the ground like in Essex?
Postcode districts CM7, CM77 cover Braintree, a Essex town of about 53,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Witham (7 miles), Chelmsford (10 miles) and Maldon (11 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. Across Essex, most homes are Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and bungalows, and large post-war new-town estates in Basildon and Harlow.
Which repair method suits a home in Braintree?
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
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 when we carry out brick arch repairs in Braintree?
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Braintree?
These are guide prices for Braintree, using East of England 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. | £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 |
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.
Brick arch repairs in Braintree: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Braintree?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Braintree 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 Braintree?
Yes, Braintree is covered, along with postcode districts CM7, CM77. We also cover nearby Witham and Chelmsford.
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.
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.
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 Braintree
- Retaining wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Crack stitching
- Underpinning
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
Brick arch repairs near Braintree
Have several dropped arches along one Braintree elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.