Bedlington · Northumberland
Brick arch repairs in Bedlington
Flat soldier arches on Bedlington 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE22, NE24, NE62
- Population
- about 18,000
- Area
- Northumberland
- Pricing region
- North East
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Bedlington?
Bedlington (NE22, NE24, NE62) has around 18,000 residents and sits in Northumberland. If you are just outside Bedlington, we also cover Cramlington (3 miles), Blyth (3 miles) and Ashington (3 miles).
Parts of Northumberland have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Northumberland lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Northumberland: Colliery terraces, stone farmhouses and villages, and post-war estates.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Bedlington?
The ranges below reflect typical North East 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. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Bedlington?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Bedlington?
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.
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.
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.
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 Bedlington: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Bedlington?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bedlington start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on North East 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 Bedlington?
Yes, Bedlington is covered, along with postcode districts NE22, NE24, NE62. We also cover nearby Cramlington and Blyth.
Why do houses in Northumberland crack?
South-east Northumberland around Blyth, Ashington and Cramlington lies on the Northumberland coalfield, worked extensively in the past, under a cover of glacial clay. The north and west are hard rock and moorland. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Should a brick arch be repaired with lime mortar?
On older houses built with soft bricks and lime, yes, in most cases. Lime mortar lets the wall breathe and is weaker than the brick, so any movement or frost damage happens in the joints rather than the bricks. Modern hard brickwork can take a cement-based mortar.
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 Bedlington
Brick arch repairs near Bedlington
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Bedlington home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.