Cheshunt · Hertfordshire
Brick arch repairs in Cheshunt
Flat soldier arches on Cheshunt houses tend to sag once a hidden bar rusts or an old window frame is replaced. Reinforcing them with stainless bars in the joints above is often enough, without taking the arch down.
Guide price from£420per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- EN7, EN8, EN9
- Population
- about 44,000
- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
Why does the ground in Hertfordshire matter for brick arch repairs?
Cheshunt is in Hertfordshire and takes in postcode districts EN7, EN8, EN9. About 44,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Enfield (4 miles), Hoddesdon (4 miles) and Potters Bar (6 miles).
Hertfordshire 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. What you mostly find across Hertfordshire: garden-city houses in Letchworth and Welwyn, 1930s semis, Victorian terraces and post-war new-town estates.
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Cheshunt?
The ranges below reflect typical East of England 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. | £420 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £945 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,900 – £2,750 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Cheshunt?
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 both faces
Where the arch shows inside as well as outside, or a rotten timber behind it has also failed, both faces are rebuilt. The inner timber is replaced with a suitable lintel, and the outer arch is reformed in front. The two are worked in sequence so the wall is supported throughout.
Best for: Arches with a failed timber or inner face
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Cheshunt?
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.
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
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
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 Cheshunt: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Cheshunt?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Cheshunt start from about £420 per arch, including VAT, on East of England rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Cheshunt?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Cheshunt, including EN7, EN8, EN9, and from nearby places such as Enfield and Hoddesdon. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Hertfordshire crack?
South Hertfordshire around Watford, Borehamwood and Potters Bar is London Clay, while the north and west are chalk with clay-with-flints and the east has boulder clay. The clay areas are prone to seasonal subsidence 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.
Related work in Cheshunt
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Cheshunt
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Cheshunt arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.