Herefordshire · England
Brick arch repairs in Herefordshire
If you live in Herefordshire and are looking at brick arch repairs, the first question is why the wall moved. Clay soils are found in parts of Herefordshire; ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining.
Guide price from£400per arch inc VAT
- Area
- Herefordshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
- Ground
- Clay in parts
- Towns listed
- 3
Why does the ground in Herefordshire matter for brick arch repairs?
Herefordshire is largely Old Red Sandstone marls that weather to clayey soils, with river alluvium along the Wye. Timber-framed and solid-walled older buildings are common.
Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Herefordshire: Black-and-white timber-framed houses, stone farmhouses, Victorian terraces in Hereford and post-war estates.
Brick arch repairs prices in Herefordshire
The ranges below reflect typical West Midlands 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. | £400 – £1,200 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £900 – £1,300 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,800 – £2,600 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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
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 during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
Do you need approval 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.
Towns in Herefordshire we cover for brick arch repairs
Questions about brick arch repairs in Herefordshire
Is the ground in Herefordshire prone to subsidence?
Herefordshire is largely Old Red Sandstone marls that weather to clayey soils, with river alluvium along the Wye. Timber-framed and solid-walled older buildings are common. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Herefordshire?
On West Midlands rates, brick arch repairs starts from about £400 per arch, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.
What is a former in arch building?
A former, sometimes called a centre, is a temporary timber frame cut to the exact shape of the arch. It supports the bricks while the arch is laid and the mortar cures, and is removed once the arch can carry itself.
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.
Should a brick arch be repaired with lime mortar?
On older houses built with soft bricks and lime, yes, in most cases. Lime mortar lets the wall breathe and is weaker than the brick, so any movement or frost damage happens in the joints rather than the bricks. Modern hard brickwork can take a cement-based mortar.