Gainsborough · Lincolnshire
Brick arch repairs in Gainsborough
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Gainsborough and beyond, and it rarely fixes itself. We look at whether the arch bricks are sound and whether the wall either side has moved, then recommend the lighter repair where it will work.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DN21
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- Lincolnshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Gainsborough?
We cover Gainsborough and its postcode districts DN21, part of Lincolnshire, with a population of roughly 21,000. We also take enquiries from nearby Retford (8 miles), Scunthorpe (14 miles) and Lincoln (14 miles).
Parts of Lincolnshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Lincolnshire: Victorian terraces in Lincoln and Grimsby, fenland brick houses, seaside bungalows and post-war estates.
Methods for 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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Gainsborough
Guide prices below are for homes in Gainsborough, 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 |
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Gainsborough?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Gainsborough 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 Gainsborough?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Gainsborough, including DN21, and from nearby places such as Retford and Scunthorpe. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Gainsborough cause cracking?
Lincolnshire has Lias, Oxford and Kimmeridge clays on the vales, chalk on the Wolds and soft silts and peat in the fens around Boston and Spalding. Fen ground and clay can both settle or shrink in dry years. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Gainsborough
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Gainsborough
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Gainsborough home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.