Burnham-on-Sea · Somerset
Brick arch repairs in Burnham-on-Sea
Older Burnham-on-Sea 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£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- TA8
- Population
- about 23,000
- Area
- Somerset
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Somerset matter for brick arch repairs?
Burnham-on-Sea is in Somerset and takes in postcode districts TA8. About 23,000 people live there. Neighbouring towns we cover: Weston-super-Mare (7 miles), Bridgwater (8 miles) and Clevedon (15 miles).
Somerset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Somerset lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Somerset: Bath stone Georgian terraces, Victorian houses in Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and post-war estates.
Which repair method suits a home in Burnham-on-Sea?
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
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 when we carry out brick arch repairs in Burnham-on-Sea?
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.
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Burnham-on-Sea?
Guide prices below are for homes in Burnham-on-Sea, on South West 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. | £410 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £925 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,850 – £2,700 | per opening |
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 Burnham-on-Sea: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Burnham-on-Sea?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Burnham-on-Sea start from about £410 per arch, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Burnham-on-Sea?
Yes, Burnham-on-Sea is covered, along with postcode districts TA8. We also cover nearby Weston-super-Mare and Bridgwater.
Is the ground in Somerset prone to subsidence?
Somerset mixes Lias clays, Mercia Mudstone, limestone hills and the peat and alluvium of the Levels around Bridgwater, which can settle. The former Somerset coalfield around Radstock and Midsomer Norton left recorded workings. 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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Burnham-on-Sea
- Gable end wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Bowing wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
Brick arch repairs near Burnham-on-Sea
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Burnham-on-Sea; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.