Coalville · Leicestershire
Brick arch repairs in Coalville
Before repairing a brick arch at a Coalville 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£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE67
- Population
- about 38,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Why does the ground in Leicestershire matter for brick arch repairs?
With roughly 38,000 people, Coalville spans postcode districts LE67 in Leicestershire. Neighbouring towns we cover: Loughborough (8 miles), Swadlincote (9 miles) and Mountsorrel (9 miles).
Parts of Leicestershire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Leicestershire: Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Coalville?
Guide prices below are for homes in Coalville, on East Midlands rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £390 – £1,200 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £880 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,750 – £2,550 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Coalville?
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
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 Coalville?
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.
Brick arch repairs in Coalville: questions and answers
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Coalville?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Coalville start from about £390 per arch, including VAT, on East Midlands 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 Coalville?
We do. Coalville and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Loughborough and Swadlincote. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Coalville cause cracking?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons. 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.
Should a brick arch be repaired with lime mortar?
On older houses built with soft bricks and lime, yes, in most cases. Lime mortar lets the wall breathe and is weaker than the brick, so any movement or frost damage happens in the joints rather than the bricks. Modern hard brickwork can take a cement-based mortar.
More repairs we carry out in Coalville
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Coalville
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Coalville; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.