Hinckley · Leicestershire
Brick arch repairs in Hinckley
If you live in a period home in Hinckley, the arches over your windows were probably laid in lime mortar. Rebuilding them in lime, with the original bricks cleaned and reused, keeps the wall breathing and the repair hard to spot.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE9, LE10
- Population
- about 51,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What is the ground like in Leicestershire?
Hinckley, Leicestershire: about 51,000 residents across postcode districts LE9, LE10. Neighbouring towns we cover: Earl Shilton (4 miles), Nuneaton (4 miles) and Bedworth (6 miles).
Leicestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Leicestershire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Brick arch repairs prices in Hinckley
Prices in Hinckley are worked out on East Midlands rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| 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 |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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 during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Hinckley
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Hinckley?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Hinckley 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 cover Hinckley?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Hinckley, including LE9, LE10, and from nearby places such as Earl Shilton and Nuneaton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Leicestershire prone to subsidence?
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.
Can you match the original bricks?
Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.
Why has the middle of my brick arch dropped?
The centre of an arch usually drops because the bricks have lost their wedge, either because the wall at the sides has moved or the mortar has worn away. A rotting timber hidden behind the arch is another common cause. The keystone slipping is the visible result.
Other structural repairs in Hinckley
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Floor joist repairs
Brick arch repairs near Hinckley
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Hinckley; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.