Stevenage · Hertfordshire
Brick arch repairs in Stevenage
Flat soldier arches on Stevenage 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
- SG1, SG2
- Population
- about 92,000
- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
What is the ground like in Hertfordshire?
With roughly 92,000 people, Stevenage spans postcode districts SG1, SG2 in Hertfordshire. We also take enquiries from nearby Hitchin (5 miles), Letchworth Garden City (5 miles) and Welwyn Garden City (7 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Hertfordshire. 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.
Which repair method suits a home in Stevenage?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Stevenage?
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.
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
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Stevenage?
These are guide prices for Stevenage, using East of England 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. | £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 |
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 Stevenage: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Stevenage?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Stevenage 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 Stevenage?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Stevenage, including SG1, SG2, and from nearby places such as Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City. 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.
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.
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.
Related work in Stevenage
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Retaining wall repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Stevenage
Have several dropped arches along one Stevenage elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.