Stowmarket · Suffolk
Brick arch repairs in Stowmarket
If you live in a period home in Stowmarket, the arches over your windows were probably laid in lime mortar. Rebuilding them in lime, with the original bricks cleaned and reused, keeps the wall breathing and the repair hard to spot.
Guide price from£420per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- IP14
- Population
- about 21,000
- Area
- Suffolk
- Pricing region
- East of England
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Stowmarket?
Stowmarket is in Suffolk and takes in postcode districts IP14. About 21,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Ipswich (11 miles), Bury St Edmunds (13 miles) and Sudbury (15 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Suffolk. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Suffolk: timber-framed and flint cottages, Victorian terraces in Ipswich and Lowestoft, and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
Brick arch repairs prices in Stowmarket
Prices in Stowmarket are worked out on East of England rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £420 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £945 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,900 – £2,750 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
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
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 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.
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 Stowmarket
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Stowmarket?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Stowmarket start from about £420 per arch, including VAT, on East of England rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Stowmarket?
Yes, Stowmarket is covered, along with postcode districts IP14. We also cover nearby Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds.
Is the ground in Suffolk prone to subsidence?
Much of Suffolk is chalky boulder clay, with London Clay around Ipswich and Felixstowe and sandier ground in the Breckland and on the coast. The clay areas are prone to seasonal shrinkage near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Stowmarket
- Structural crack repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Roof structure repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Lintel replacement
Brick arch repairs near Stowmarket
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Stowmarket home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.