Wellingborough · Northamptonshire
Brick arch repairs in Wellingborough
Flat soldier arches on Wellingborough houses tend to sag once a hidden bar rusts or an old window frame is replaced. Reinforcing them with stainless bars in the joints above is often enough, without taking the arch down.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NN8
- Population
- about 57,000
- Area
- Northamptonshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Wellingborough?
Wellingborough is in Northamptonshire and takes in postcode districts NN8. About 57,000 people live there. If you are just outside Wellingborough, we also cover Rushden (4 miles), Kettering (7 miles) and Northampton (9 miles).
Northamptonshire is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Historic ironstone working has left disturbed ground in places. What you mostly find across Northamptonshire: ironstone and limestone cottages, Victorian terraces in Northampton and Kettering, and new-town estates in Corby.
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Wellingborough?
Prices in Wellingborough 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Wellingborough?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Wellingborough 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 Wellingborough?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Wellingborough, including NN8, and from nearby places such as Rushden and Kettering. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Northamptonshire crack?
Northamptonshire sits largely on Lias clay and Jurassic ironstones and limestones, with historic ironstone quarrying around Corby and Kettering. The clay vales are prone to shrinkage near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Is a dropped brick arch dangerous?
A slightly dropped arch is not usually an immediate danger, but it is no longer carrying load as it should and tends to worsen. Loose bricks that could fall, or a fast-growing crack above, need prompt attention. Do not rely on the window frame to hold it.
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.
Related work in Wellingborough
Brick arch repairs near Wellingborough
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Wellingborough arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.