Melton Mowbray · Leicestershire
Brick arch repairs in Melton Mowbray
Rebuilding an arch in Melton Mowbray is a precise job: a former cut to the exact curve, tight joints and a keystone set at the right height. Done well, the new arch looks as though it was always there.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE13, LE14
- Population
- about 28,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What is the ground like in Leicestershire?
We cover Melton Mowbray and its postcode districts LE13, LE14, part of Leicestershire, with a population of roughly 28,000. Nearby places we cover include Oakham (9 miles), Mountsorrel (12 miles) and Loughborough (13 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. Across Leicestershire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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 during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
Brick arch repairs prices in Melton Mowbray
The ranges below reflect typical East Midlands 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. | £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 |
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 Melton Mowbray
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Melton Mowbray?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Melton Mowbray 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.
Can you survey a property in Melton Mowbray?
We do. Melton Mowbray and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Oakham and Mountsorrel. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Leicestershire crack?
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.
Related work in Melton Mowbray
- Subsidence repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
Brick arch repairs near Melton Mowbray
Have several dropped arches along one Melton Mowbray elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.