York · North Yorkshire
Brick arch repairs in York
If you live in a period home in York, 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£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- YO1, YO10, YO31
- Population
- about 160,000
- Area
- North Yorkshire
- Pricing region
- Yorkshire and the Humber
What should you know about the ground under York?
York (YO1, YO10, YO31) has around 160,000 residents and sits in North Yorkshire. We also take enquiries from nearby Selby (12 miles), Kippax (18 miles) and Harrogate (19 miles).
Parts of North Yorkshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of North Yorkshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across North Yorkshire, most homes are stone cottages, Georgian and Victorian houses in York and Harrogate, and brick terraces on Teesside.
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Strike the former and point
Once the mortar has cured enough, the former and props are removed. Joints are finished to match the surrounding wall, and any cracks running from the arch into the wall are repaired at the same visit.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in York
These are guide prices for York, using Yorkshire and the Humber rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £380 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £855 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,700 – £2,450 | per opening |
Methods for 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 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
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
How much will brick arch repairs cost in York?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in York start from about £380 per arch, including VAT, on Yorkshire and the Humber rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover York?
We do. York and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Selby and Kippax. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in North Yorkshire prone to subsidence?
North Yorkshire ranges from limestone dales and moors to clays and glacial deposits in the Vale of York, with the Selby coalfield in the south and ironstone workings in Cleveland. Teesside has areas of soft and made ground. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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 York
- Retaining wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Floor joist repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
Brick arch repairs near York
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your York arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.