Winchester · Hampshire
Brick arch repairs in Winchester
Before repairing a brick arch at a Winchester 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
- SO21, SO22, SO23
- Population
- about 46,000
- Area
- Hampshire
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Winchester?
Winchester is in Hampshire and takes in postcode districts SO21, SO22, SO23. About 46,000 people live there. Neighbouring towns we cover: Eastleigh (7 miles), Romsey (9 miles) and Hedge End (11 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Hampshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Hampshire: Victorian terraces in Portsmouth and Southampton, 1930s semis, and large post-war and new-build estates.
Which repair method suits a home in Winchester?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Winchester?
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
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Winchester?
Prices in Winchester are worked out on South East 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. | £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 |
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 Winchester: questions and answers
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Winchester?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Winchester 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 Winchester?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Winchester, including SO21, SO22, SO23, and from nearby places such as Eastleigh and Romsey. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Winchester 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.
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.
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 Winchester
- Floor joist repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Concrete repairs
Brick arch repairs near Winchester
Have several dropped arches along one Winchester elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.