Haslemere · Surrey
Brick arch repairs in Haslemere
Rebuilding an arch in Haslemere 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£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GU26, GU27
- Population
- about 17,000
- Area
- Surrey
- Pricing region
- South East
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Haslemere?
Postcode districts GU26, GU27 cover Haslemere, a Surrey town of about 17,000 people. If you are just outside Haslemere, we also cover Bordon (7 miles), Godalming (8 miles) and Farnham (9 miles).
Much of Surrey sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Housing stock in Surrey: Victorian and Edwardian villas, 1930s semis and detached houses in the commuter towns, and post-war estates.
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Haslemere
These are guide prices for Haslemere, using South East 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. | £450 – £1,350 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,000 – £1,450 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,000 – £2,900 | per opening |
Methods for 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
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
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
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Haslemere?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Haslemere start from about £450 per arch, including VAT, on South East 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 Haslemere?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Haslemere, including GU26, GU27, and from nearby places such as Bordon and Godalming. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Surrey crack?
North Surrey sits on London Clay, the south on Weald Clay, with chalk along the North Downs and sands in the west. Large gardens with mature trees on clay make seasonal subsidence a familiar problem. 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.
What is a former in arch building?
A former, sometimes called a centre, is a temporary timber frame cut to the exact shape of the arch. It supports the bricks while the arch is laid and the mortar cures, and is removed once the arch can carry itself.
Related work in Haslemere
- Floor joist repairs
- Underpinning
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Concrete repairs
Brick arch repairs near Haslemere
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Haslemere home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.