Great Wyrley · Staffordshire
Brick arch repairs in Great Wyrley
Rebuilding an arch in Great Wyrley 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£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- WS6
- Population
- about 19,000
- Area
- Staffordshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Great Wyrley?
Postcode districts WS6 cover Great Wyrley, a Staffordshire town of about 19,000 people. If you are just outside Great Wyrley, we also cover Cannock (2 miles), Bloxwich (3 miles) and Burntwood (4 miles).
Parts of Staffordshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Staffordshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Staffordshire: Potteries terraces, brick villas, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
What happens during brick arch repairs, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Brick arch repairs prices in Great Wyrley
Guide prices below are for homes in Great Wyrley, on West Midlands 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. | £400 – £1,200 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £900 – £1,300 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,800 – £2,600 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Great Wyrley
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Great Wyrley?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Great Wyrley start from about £400 per arch, including VAT, on West Midlands 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 Great Wyrley?
We do. Great Wyrley and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Cannock and Bloxwich. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Staffordshire crack?
North Staffordshire around Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove, and the Cannock Chase area, lie on coalfields with recorded workings. Much of the rest of the county is Mercia Mudstone and glacial clay. 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.
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.
Related work in Great Wyrley
- Roof structure repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Great Wyrley
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Great Wyrley; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.