Tyldesley · Greater Manchester
Brick arch repairs in Tyldesley
Flat soldier arches on Tyldesley 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£385per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- M29, M38, M46
- Population
- about 36,000
- Area
- Greater Manchester
- Pricing region
- North West
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Tyldesley?
Tyldesley is in Greater Manchester and takes in postcode districts M29, M38, M46. About 36,000 people live there. If you are just outside Tyldesley, we also cover Leigh (2 miles), Westhoughton (3 miles) and Hindley (5 miles).
Parts of Greater Manchester have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Greater Manchester: Red-brick terraces, mill-town stone terraces, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
Which repair method suits a home in Tyldesley?
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 Tyldesley?
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.
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
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Tyldesley?
The ranges below reflect typical North West costs for brick arch repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £385 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £865 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,750 – £2,500 | 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 Tyldesley: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Tyldesley?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Tyldesley start from about £385 per arch, including VAT, on North West 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 Tyldesley?
Yes, Tyldesley is covered, along with postcode districts M29, M38, M46. We also cover nearby Leigh and Westhoughton.
Why do houses in Greater Manchester crack?
Greater Manchester is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Lancashire coalfield beneath much of Wigan, Bolton, Salford and parts of the east. Historic mine workings, made ground and old mill sites are common. 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.
Do flat brick arches need a lintel?
Many flat soldier arches were built with a hidden steel bar or timber behind, because they have little true arch action. When repairing one, we check what is supporting it and, where needed, reinforce it with bars or add suitable support behind.
Related work in Tyldesley
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Tyldesley
If bricks in an arch at your Tyldesley property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.