Sutton-in-Ashfield · Nottinghamshire
Brick arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Sutton-in-Ashfield and beyond, and it rarely fixes itself. We look at whether the arch bricks are sound and whether the wall either side has moved, then recommend the lighter repair where it will work.
Guide price from£390per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NG17
- Population
- about 36,000
- Area
- Nottinghamshire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Is Nottinghamshire prone to ground movement?
Postcode districts NG17 cover Sutton-in-Ashfield, a Nottinghamshire town of about 36,000 people. Nearby places we cover include Kirkby-in-Ashfield (2 miles), Mansfield (3 miles) and Mansfield Woodhouse (4 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. Across Nottinghamshire, most homes are brick terraces in former colliery towns, Victorian villas in Nottingham, and inter-war and post-war semis.
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Brick arch repairs prices in Sutton-in-Ashfield
Prices in Sutton-in-Ashfield 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 |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
Lime mortar repairs
On older houses built in soft brick and lime, the arch is rebuilt or repointed in a lime mortar matched to the original. Lime lets moisture escape and moves slightly with the wall, so it protects the bricks rather than forcing damage into them, as hard cement mortar can.
Best for: Pre-1919 houses and soft historic brick
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.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield?
Yes, Sutton-in-Ashfield is covered, along with postcode districts NG17. We also cover nearby Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Mansfield.
Does the ground around Sutton-in-Ashfield cause cracking?
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.
Can you match the original bricks?
Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.
More repairs we carry out in Sutton-in-Ashfield
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Lintel replacement
- Concrete repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Sutton-in-Ashfield
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Sutton-in-Ashfield; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.