Perth · Perth and Kinross
Brick arch repairs in Perth
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Perth 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£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PH1, PH2
- Population
- about 47,000
- Area
- Perth and Kinross
- Pricing region
- Scotland
Why does the ground in Perth and Kinross matter for brick arch repairs?
Perth, Perth and Kinross: about 47,000 residents across postcode districts PH1, PH2. Nearby, we also cover Blairgowrie (14 miles), Crieff (16 miles) and Glenrothes (17 miles).
Shrinkable clay is less common in Perth and Kinross than in south-east England. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Perth and Kinross: Sandstone town houses and tenements, rural cottages and post-war estates.
How we usually approach 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
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Brick arch repairs prices in Perth
Guide prices below are for homes in Perth, on Scotland 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. | £380 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £855 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,700 – £2,450 | per opening |
Rules for brick arch repairs in Scotland
In Scotland, small repairs often do not need a building warrant, but structural alterations and strengthening generally do. Check with the council’s building standards service if unsure; there is no Party Wall Act in Scotland.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Perth
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Perth?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Perth start from about £380 per arch, including VAT, on Scotland 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 Perth?
We do. Perth and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Blairgowrie and Crieff. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Perth cause cracking?
Perth and Kinross is largely Old Red Sandstone and Highland rock with glacial deposits and river alluvium along the Tay, which can be soft and flood-prone. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
Do flat brick arches need a lintel?
Many flat soldier arches were built with a hidden steel bar or timber behind, because they have little true arch action. When repairing one, we check what is supporting it and, where needed, reinforce it with bars or add suitable support behind.
More repairs we carry out in Perth
- Lintel replacement
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
Brick arch repairs near Perth
Have several dropped arches along one Perth elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.