Scunthorpe · Lincolnshire
Brick arch repairs in Scunthorpe
Older Scunthorpe houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DN15, DN16, DN17
- Population
- about 82,000
- Area
- Lincolnshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Scunthorpe?
With roughly 82,000 people, Scunthorpe spans postcode districts DN15, DN16, DN17 in Lincolnshire. Nearby places we cover include Thorne (13 miles), Gainsborough (14 miles) and Doncaster (20 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Lincolnshire. 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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Scunthorpe?
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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Scunthorpe?
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 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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Scunthorpe?
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.
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 Scunthorpe: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Scunthorpe?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Scunthorpe 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 Scunthorpe?
Yes, Scunthorpe is covered, along with postcode districts DN15, DN16, DN17. We also cover nearby Thorne and Gainsborough.
Is the ground in Lincolnshire prone to subsidence?
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.
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.
Can a dropped arch be repaired without rebuilding it?
Yes, if the drop is small and the brickwork is in good condition. Bars bonded into the joints above can take the load off the arch and hold it in place. If the bricks are loose or the arch has dropped badly, rebuilding is the more reliable repair.
Other structural repairs in Scunthorpe
- Bowing wall repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Concrete repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Scunthorpe
If bricks in an arch at your Scunthorpe property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.