Brick arch repairs in Staines-upon-Thames

Postcodes: TW18, TW19, TW20
Population: about 51,000
Area: Surrey
Pricing region: South East

What is the ground like in Surrey?

Staines-upon-Thames is in Surrey and takes in postcode districts TW18, TW19, TW20. About 51,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Egham (2 miles), Ashford (2 miles) and Chertsey (3 miles).

Shrinkable clay is widespread in Surrey. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Surrey: Victorian and Edwardian villas, 1930s semis and detached houses in the commuter towns, and post-war estates.

Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs

The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Staines-upon-Thames

The ranges below reflect typical South East costs for brick arch repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.

Guide prices inc VAT on South East rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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

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

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

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.

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 will brick arch repairs cost in Staines-upon-Thames?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Staines-upon-Thames 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.

Do you cover Staines-upon-Thames?

We do. Staines-upon-Thames and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Egham and Ashford. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.

Is the ground in Surrey prone to subsidence?

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.

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.

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.

Other structural repairs in Staines-upon-Thames

Brick arch repairs near Staines-upon-Thames

If bricks in an arch at your Staines-upon-Thames property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.