Oakham · Rutland
Brick arch repairs in Oakham
Older Oakham 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
- LE15
- Population
- about 12,000
- Area
- Rutland
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What is the ground like in Rutland?
We cover Oakham and its postcode districts LE15, part of Rutland, with a population of roughly 12,000. If you are just outside Oakham, we also cover Uppingham (6 miles), Melton Mowbray (9 miles) and Stamford (10 miles).
Parts of Rutland have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Rutland, most homes are limestone and ironstone cottages and town houses, with post-war estates around Oakham and Uppingham.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Oakham?
These are guide prices for Oakham, 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Oakham?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Oakham?
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.
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.
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.
Brick arch repairs in Oakham: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Oakham?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Oakham 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 Oakham?
We do. Oakham and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Uppingham and Melton Mowbray. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Rutland prone to subsidence?
Rutland is Lias clay and Jurassic limestone and ironstone, with clay soils in the valleys that can move near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Oakham
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
- Retaining wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Oakham
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Oakham; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.