Brick arch repairs in Coventry

Postcodes: CV1, CV3, CV5
Population: about 350,000
Area: West Midlands
Pricing region: West Midlands

Is West Midlands prone to ground movement?

Coventry (CV1, CV3, CV5) has around 350,000 residents and sits in West Midlands. We also take enquiries from nearby Kenilworth (5 miles), Bedworth (5 miles) and Nuneaton (8 miles).

West Midlands has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of West Midlands lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across West Midlands, most homes are Victorian terraces, inter-war semis, Black Country industrial housing and large post-war estates.

Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs

Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Coventry

These are guide prices for Coventry, using West Midlands rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on West Midlands rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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

Methods for brick arch repairs

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

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

From first photo to finished repair

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.
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.
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 should I budget for brick arch repairs in Coventry?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Coventry 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.

Can you survey a property in Coventry?

Yes, Coventry is covered, along with postcode districts CV1, CV3, CV5. We also cover nearby Kenilworth and Bedworth.

Why do houses in West Midlands crack?

The West Midlands is mostly Mercia Mudstone and glacial till, with the South Staffordshire coalfield under much of the Black Country, where shallow coal and limestone workings are recorded around Dudley, Tipton and Walsall. 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.

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.

Related work in Coventry

Brick arch repairs near Coventry

Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Coventry; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.