Hounslow · Greater London
Brick arch repairs in Hounslow
Flat soldier arches on Hounslow houses tend to sag once a hidden bar rusts or an old window frame is replaced. Reinforcing them with stainless bars in the joints above is often enough, without taking the arch down.
Guide price from£500per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TW3, TW4, TW5, TW6, TW13
- Population
- about 290,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
What should you know about the ground under Hounslow?
Hounslow is one of the 32 London boroughs, with around 290,000 residents in districts such as TW3, TW4, TW5, TW6, TW13. If you are just outside Hounslow, we also cover Richmond upon Thames (2 miles), Ashford (4 miles) and Sunbury-on-Thames (4 miles).
Greater London is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Greater London: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Hounslow?
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.
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
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Hounslow?
For Hounslow we use London 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. | £500 – £1,500 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,100 – £1,600 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,250 – £3,250 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Hounslow?
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
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 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 Hounslow: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Hounslow?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Hounslow start from about £500 per arch, including VAT, on London rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Hounslow?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Hounslow, including TW3, TW4, TW5, TW6, and from nearby places such as Richmond upon Thames and Ashford. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Greater London crack?
Most of Greater London sits on London Clay, among the most shrinkage-prone ground in the UK, with river gravels along the Thames. Subsidence claims here are among the most frequent in the country, especially after dry summers and near street and garden trees. 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.
Can you match the original bricks?
Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.
Related work in Hounslow
- Wall tie replacement
- Subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
Brick arch repairs near Hounslow
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Hounslow arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.