Mansfield · Nottinghamshire
Brick arch repairs in Mansfield
Older Mansfield 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
- NG18, NG19
- Population
- about 170,000
- Area
- Nottinghamshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Mansfield?
We cover Mansfield and its postcode districts NG18, NG19, part of Nottinghamshire, with a population of roughly 170,000. Nearby places we cover include Mansfield Woodhouse (2 miles), Sutton-in-Ashfield (3 miles) and Kirkby-in-Ashfield (3 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Nottinghamshire. Parts of Nottinghamshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across 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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- 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 Mansfield?
These are guide prices for Mansfield, using East Midlands 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. | £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
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
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 Mansfield?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Mansfield 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 Mansfield?
Yes, Mansfield is covered, along with postcode districts NG18, NG19. We also cover nearby Mansfield Woodhouse and Sutton-in-Ashfield.
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.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Mansfield
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Mansfield
If bricks in an arch at your Mansfield property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.