Stoke-on-Trent · Staffordshire
Brick arch repairs in Stoke-on-Trent
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Stoke-on-Trent 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£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- ST1, ST4, ST5
- Population
- about 260,000
- Area
- Staffordshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What is the ground like in Staffordshire?
With roughly 260,000 people, Stoke-on-Trent spans postcode districts ST1, ST4, ST5 in Staffordshire. If you are just outside Stoke-on-Trent, we also cover Newcastle-under-Lyme (2 miles), Kidsgrove (6 miles) and Biddulph (8 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. Housing stock in Staffordshire: Potteries terraces, brick villas, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
Methods for brick arch repairs
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
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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Stoke-on-Trent
The ranges below reflect typical West Midlands costs for brick arch repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| 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 |
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Stoke-on-Trent?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Stoke-on-Trent 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.
Do you carry out brick arch repairs in Stoke-on-Trent?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Stoke-on-Trent, including ST1, ST4, ST5, and from nearby places such as Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Stoke-on-Trent cause cracking?
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.
More repairs we carry out in Stoke-on-Trent
- Retaining wall repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Crack stitching
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Brick arch repairs near Stoke-on-Trent
Have several dropped arches along one Stoke-on-Trent elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.