Whitley Bay · Tyne and Wear
Brick arch repairs in Whitley Bay
Older Whitley Bay houses often carry their window and door heads on brick arches built without any steel at all. When the centre bricks slip, the arch either needs reinforcing in place or rebuilding over a timber former.
Guide price from£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE25, NE26, NE30
- Population
- about 38,000
- Area
- Tyne and Wear
- Pricing region
- North East
Why does the ground in Tyne and Wear matter for brick arch repairs?
Postcode districts NE25, NE26, NE30 cover Whitley Bay, a Tyne and Wear town of about 38,000 people. We also take enquiries from nearby South Shields (3 miles), Jarrow (4 miles) and Wallsend (5 miles).
Tyne and Wear has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of Tyne and Wear, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. What you mostly find across Tyne and Wear: Tyneside flats and terraces, Victorian villas, inter-war council estates and post-war semis.
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Whitley Bay?
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Whitley Bay?
For Whitley Bay we use North East rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | per opening |
Which repair method suits a home in Whitley Bay?
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 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.
Brick arch repairs in Whitley Bay: questions and answers
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Whitley Bay?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Whitley Bay start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on North East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Whitley Bay?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Whitley Bay, including NE25, NE26, NE30, and from nearby places such as South Shields and Jarrow. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Tyne and Wear prone to subsidence?
Tyne and Wear lies on the Durham and Northumberland coalfield, with old shallow workings recorded beneath parts of Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland, mostly under a cover of glacial clay. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can a dropped arch be repaired without rebuilding it?
Yes, if the drop is small and the brickwork is in good condition. Bars bonded into the joints above can take the load off the arch and hold it in place. If the bricks are loose or the arch has dropped badly, rebuilding is the more reliable repair.
Why has the middle of my brick arch dropped?
The centre of an arch usually drops because the bricks have lost their wedge, either because the wall at the sides has moved or the mortar has worn away. A rotting timber hidden behind the arch is another common cause. The keystone slipping is the visible result.
Other structural repairs in Whitley Bay
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Crack stitching
Brick arch repairs near Whitley Bay
If bricks in an arch at your Whitley Bay property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.