Warwick · Warwickshire
Brick arch repairs in Warwick
If you live in a period home in Warwick, 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£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- CV34
- Population
- about 37,000
- Area
- Warwickshire
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
Is Warwickshire prone to ground movement?
Warwick, Warwickshire: about 37,000 residents across postcode districts CV34. Neighbouring towns we cover: Leamington Spa (3 miles), Kenilworth (5 miles) and Stratford-upon-Avon (8 miles).
Warwickshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Warwickshire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Warwickshire: Regency houses in Leamington Spa, timber-framed buildings in Stratford and Warwick, and brick terraces and estates in the north.
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
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
Brick arch repairs prices in Warwick
Prices in Warwick are worked out on West Midlands 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. | £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 |
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?
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.
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 Warwick
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Warwick?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Warwick 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 cover Warwick?
Yes, Warwick is covered, along with postcode districts CV34. We also cover nearby Leamington Spa and Kenilworth.
Is the ground in Warwickshire prone to subsidence?
Much of Warwickshire is Mercia Mudstone and Lias clay, with the Warwickshire coalfield under Nuneaton and Bedworth in the north. Clay soils near trees can shrink in dry summers. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Warwick
- Roof structure repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Extension pulling away repairs
Brick arch repairs near Warwick
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Warwick; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.