Bicester · Oxfordshire
Brick arch repairs in Bicester
Rebuilding an arch in Bicester is a precise job: a former cut to the exact curve, tight joints and a keystone set at the right height. Done well, the new arch looks as though it was always there.
Guide price from£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- OX6, OX26
- Population
- about 34,000
- Area
- Oxfordshire
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Bicester?
Bicester (OX6, OX26) has around 34,000 residents and sits in Oxfordshire. Nearby places we cover include Oxford (11 miles), Banbury (14 miles) and Aylesbury (16 miles).
Oxfordshire is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Oxfordshire: Cotswold stone villages, Victorian terraces in Oxford and Banbury, and large post-war and new-build estates around Didcot and Bicester.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bicester
Guide prices below are for homes in Bicester, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £450 – £1,350 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,000 – £1,450 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,000 – £2,900 | per opening |
Methods for brick arch repairs
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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Bicester?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bicester start from about £450 per arch, including VAT, on South 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 Bicester?
We do. Bicester and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Oxford and Banbury. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Oxfordshire crack?
Oxfordshire's vales sit on Oxford, Kimmeridge and Gault Clays, among the more shrinkage-prone clays in England, with Cotswold limestone in the north-west and chalk downs in the south. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Related work in Bicester
- Concrete repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Lintel replacement
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Brick arch repairs near Bicester
Have several dropped arches along one Bicester elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.