Holyhead · Gwynedd
Brick arch repairs in Holyhead
Flat soldier arches on Holyhead 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LL65
- Population
- about 11,000
- Area
- Gwynedd
- Pricing region
- Wales
Why does the ground in Gwynedd matter for brick arch repairs?
Postcode districts LL65 cover Holyhead, a Gwynedd town of about 11,000 people. Nearby, we also cover Llangefni (14 miles), Caernarfon (19 miles) and Bangor (21 miles).
Most of Gwynedd is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Housing stock in Gwynedd: Slate and stone terraces, chapels and cottages, Victorian seaside houses and post-war estates.
Which repair method suits a home in Holyhead?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Holyhead?
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.
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Holyhead?
Prices in Holyhead are worked out on Wales rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | per opening |
Rules for brick arch repairs in Wales
In Wales, small like-for-like repairs do not usually need approval, but work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control under the Welsh Building Regulations, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to shared walls.
Brick arch repairs in Holyhead: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Holyhead?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Holyhead start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on Wales 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 Holyhead?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Holyhead, including LL65, and from nearby places such as Llangefni and Caernarfon. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Gwynedd crack?
Gwynedd and Anglesey are mostly hard rock with glacial deposits, so clay shrinkage is uncommon. Historic slate quarrying and metal mining have left tips and workings in places. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Related work in Holyhead
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Crack stitching
- Retaining wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Holyhead
If bricks in an arch at your Holyhead property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.