Poulton-le-Fylde · Lancashire
Brick arch repairs in Poulton-le-Fylde
Flat soldier arches on Poulton-le-Fylde 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£385per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- FY2, FY3, FY6
- Population
- about 20,000
- Area
- Lancashire
- Pricing region
- North West
What is the ground like in Lancashire?
Poulton-le-Fylde is in Lancashire and takes in postcode districts FY2, FY3, FY6. About 20,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Blackpool (3 miles), Thornton-Cleveleys (3 miles) and Lytham St Annes (6 miles).
Lancashire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Lancashire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Lancashire: Stone and brick mill terraces, seaside villas in Blackpool and Lytham, and inter-war and post-war semis.
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Poulton-le-Fylde?
These are guide prices for Poulton-le-Fylde, using North West 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. | £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
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
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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- 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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Poulton-le-Fylde?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Poulton-le-Fylde 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.
Can you survey a property in Poulton-le-Fylde?
Yes, Poulton-le-Fylde is covered, along with postcode districts FY2, FY3, FY6. We also cover nearby Blackpool and Thornton-Cleveleys.
Why do houses in Lancashire crack?
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.
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.
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.
Related work in Poulton-le-Fylde
- Underpinning
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Brick arch repairs near Poulton-le-Fylde
If bricks in an arch at your Poulton-le-Fylde property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.