Leyland · Lancashire
Brick arch repairs in Leyland
Before repairing a brick arch at a Leyland 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£385per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PR25, PR26
- Population
- about 38,000
- Area
- Lancashire
- Pricing region
- North West
What should you know about the ground under Leyland?
With roughly 38,000 people, Leyland spans postcode districts PR25, PR26 in Lancashire. We also take enquiries from nearby Chorley (4 miles), Preston (5 miles) and Horwich (9 miles).
Parts of Lancashire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Lancashire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Lancashire, most homes are stone and brick mill terraces, seaside villas in Blackpool and Lytham, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Leyland?
The ranges below reflect typical North West 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. | £385 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £865 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,750 – £2,500 | per opening |
Repair options we may recommend
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 to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Leyland?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Leyland start from about £385 per arch, including VAT, on North West 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 Leyland?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Leyland, including PR25, PR26, and from nearby places such as Chorley and Preston. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Leyland cause cracking?
Lancashire is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Burnley and Accrington coalfield in the east and soft coastal and estuarine ground on the Fylde. Old mill and mine sites leave made ground in many towns. 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.
More repairs we carry out in Leyland
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Brick arch repairs near Leyland
If bricks in an arch at your Leyland property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.