Fleet · Hampshire
Brick arch repairs in Fleet
Before repairing a brick arch at a Fleet 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£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GU13, GU51, GU52
- Population
- about 39,000
- Area
- Hampshire
- Pricing region
- South East
Why does the ground in Hampshire matter for brick arch repairs?
Fleet is in Hampshire and takes in postcode districts GU13, GU51, GU52. About 39,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Farnborough (3 miles), Aldershot (4 miles) and Farnham (5 miles).
Hampshire 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 Hampshire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Portsmouth and Southampton, 1930s semis, and large post-war and new-build estates.
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Fleet?
These are guide prices for Fleet, using South East 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. | £450 – £1,350 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,000 – £1,450 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,000 – £2,900 | per opening |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Fleet?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Fleet start from about £450 per arch, including VAT, on South East 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 Fleet?
Yes, Fleet is covered, along with postcode districts GU13, GU51, GU52. We also cover nearby Farnborough and Aldershot.
Does the ground around Fleet cause cracking?
Central Hampshire is chalk, while the south around Portsmouth, Southampton and the New Forest fringe and the north-east around Farnborough sit on London Clay, Reading Beds and other clays and sands. The clay areas see seasonal movement near 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Fleet
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Structural crack repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Crack stitching
Brick arch repairs near Fleet
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Fleet; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.