Hucknall · Nottinghamshire
Brick arch repairs in Hucknall
Older Hucknall 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
- NG6, NG15
- Population
- about 30,000
- Area
- Nottinghamshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Why does the ground in Nottinghamshire matter for brick arch repairs?
We cover Hucknall and its postcode districts NG6, NG15, part of Nottinghamshire, with a population of roughly 30,000. Nearby places we cover include Arnold (4 miles), Eastwood (5 miles) and Kirkby-in-Ashfield (5 miles).
Parts of Nottinghamshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. 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.
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
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.
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
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Hucknall?
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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Hucknall?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Hucknall 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 Hucknall?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Hucknall, including NG6, NG15, and from nearby places such as Arnold and Eastwood. 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.
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.
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 Hucknall
- Gable end wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Lintel replacement
Brick arch repairs near Hucknall
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Hucknall; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.