Hereford · Herefordshire
Brick arch repairs in Hereford
Older Hereford houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- HR1, HR4
- Population
- about 60,000
- Area
- Herefordshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Hereford?
Hereford (HR1, HR4) has around 60,000 residents and sits in Herefordshire. If you are just outside Hereford, we also cover Ross-on-Wye (11 miles), Leominster (12 miles) and Malvern (17 miles).
Parts of Herefordshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Herefordshire, most homes are black-and-white timber-framed houses, stone farmhouses, Victorian terraces in Hereford and post-war estates.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Hereford?
For Hereford we use West Midlands rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Hereford?
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 Hereford?
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.
Support the opening
Props carry the brickwork above, and for a rebuild a former is made to the exact profile of the arch. The window or door frame is protected so it is not asked to carry any load.
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.
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 Hereford: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Hereford?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Hereford start from about £400 per arch, including VAT, on West Midlands rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Hereford?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Hereford, including HR1, HR4, and from nearby places such as Ross-on-Wye and Leominster. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
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. 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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Hereford
- Crack stitching
- Bowing wall repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Brick arch repairs near Hereford
If bricks in an arch at your Hereford property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.