Yeovil · Somerset
Brick arch repairs in Yeovil
Before repairing a brick arch at a Yeovil property, we check what sits behind it. A rotting timber lintel on the inner face is a frequent hidden cause, and fixing only the visible arch would leave the real problem in place.
Guide price from£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BA20, BA21
- Population
- about 50,000
- Area
- Somerset
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Somerset?
Yeovil (BA20, BA21) has around 50,000 residents and sits in Somerset. Nearby, we also cover Dorchester (18 miles), Bridgwater (21 miles) and Taunton (21 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Somerset. 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.
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Yeovil?
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.
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Yeovil?
These are guide prices for Yeovil, using South West 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. | £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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Yeovil?
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
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
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 Yeovil: questions and answers
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Yeovil?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Yeovil 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Yeovil?
We do. Yeovil and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Dorchester and Bridgwater. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Yeovil cause cracking?
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.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Yeovil
Brick arch repairs near Yeovil
If bricks in an arch at your Yeovil property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.