Islington · Greater London
Brick arch repairs in Islington
Flat soldier arches on Islington 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
- EC1, EC1A, EC1M, EC1R, EC1V
- Population
- about 220,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
Is Greater London prone to ground movement?
Islington is one of the 32 London boroughs, with around 220,000 residents in districts such as EC1, EC1A, EC1M, EC1R, EC1V. If you are just outside Islington, we also cover Hackney (2 miles), Camden (2 miles) and Westminster (3 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. Across Greater London, most homes are Victorian and Edwardian terraces with shallow footings, inter-war semis in the outer boroughs, and converted flats and mansion blocks.
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Islington?
For Islington 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 |
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Islington?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Islington 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 Islington?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Islington, including EC1, EC1A, EC1M, EC1R, and from nearby places such as Hackney and Camden. 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.
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.
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.
Related work in Islington
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Brick arch repairs near Islington
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Islington home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.