Lambeth · Greater London
Brick arch repairs in Lambeth
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Lambeth 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£500per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SE19, SE21, SE24, SE27, SW2
- Population
- about 320,000
- Area
- Greater London
- Pricing region
- London
What should you know about the ground under Lambeth?
Lambeth is one of the 32 London boroughs, with around 320,000 residents in districts such as SE19, SE21, SE24, SE27, SW2. If you are just outside Lambeth, we also cover Southwark (2 miles), Wandsworth (3 miles) and Westminster (4 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Greater London. 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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Lambeth
Guide prices below are for homes in Lambeth, on London 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. | £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 |
Methods for brick arch repairs
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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Lambeth?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Lambeth 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.
Do you carry out brick arch repairs in Lambeth?
We do. Lambeth and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Southwark and Wandsworth. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Lambeth cause cracking?
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 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Lambeth
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Wall tie replacement
Brick arch repairs near Lambeth
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Lambeth home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.