Arnold · Nottinghamshire
Brick arch repairs in Arnold
Older Arnold 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
- NG3, NG5, NG6
- Population
- about 38,000
- Area
- Nottinghamshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Arnold?
Arnold, Nottinghamshire: about 38,000 residents across postcode districts NG3, NG5, NG6. Nearby places we cover include Nottingham (3 miles), Hucknall (4 miles) and West Bridgford (5 miles).
Nottinghamshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Nottinghamshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Nottinghamshire: Brick terraces in former colliery towns, Victorian villas in Nottingham, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Arnold?
For Arnold we use East Midlands rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 Arnold?
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 Arnold?
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.
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 Arnold: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Arnold?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Arnold 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 Arnold?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Arnold, including NG3, NG5, NG6, and from nearby places such as Nottingham and Hucknall. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Nottinghamshire prone to subsidence?
West Nottinghamshire around Mansfield, Hucknall and Kirkby-in-Ashfield is on the Coal Measures with a long mining history, while Nottingham sits on sandstone with Mercia Mudstone clay to the south and east. 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.
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 Arnold
- Structural crack repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Arnold
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Arnold; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.