Pwllheli · Gwynedd
Brick arch repairs in Pwllheli
Before repairing a brick arch at a Pwllheli property, we check what sits behind it. A rotting timber lintel on the inner face is a frequent hidden cause, and fixing only the visible arch would leave the real problem in place.
Guide price from£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LL53
- Population
- about 4,000
- Area
- Gwynedd
- Pricing region
- Wales
What should you know about the ground under Pwllheli?
Pwllheli (LL53) has around 4,000 residents and sits in Gwynedd. We also take enquiries from nearby Caernarfon (18 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. Across Gwynedd, most homes are slate and stone terraces, chapels and cottages, Victorian seaside houses and post-war estates.
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Pwllheli?
These are guide prices for Pwllheli, using Wales rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Pwllheli?
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
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 Pwllheli?
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
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
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 Pwllheli: questions and answers
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Pwllheli?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Pwllheli 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.
Do you carry out brick arch repairs in Pwllheli?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Pwllheli, including LL53, and from nearby places such as Caernarfon. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Pwllheli cause cracking?
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.
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 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.
More repairs we carry out in Pwllheli
- Bowing wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Brick arch repairs near Pwllheli
If bricks in an arch at your Pwllheli property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.