Dudley · West Midlands
Brick arch repairs in Dudley
Older Dudley 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£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- B64, DY1, DY2
- Population
- about 200,000
- Area
- West Midlands
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What is the ground like in West Midlands?
Dudley (B64, DY1, DY2) has around 200,000 residents and sits in West Midlands. Nearby, we also cover Tipton (2 miles), Halesowen (4 miles) and Stourbridge (4 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.
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Dudley?
Guide prices below are for homes in Dudley, on West Midlands rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Dudley?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Dudley 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 Dudley?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Dudley, including B64, DY1, DY2, and from nearby places such as Tipton and Halesowen. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in West Midlands prone to subsidence?
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.
Is a dropped brick arch dangerous?
A slightly dropped arch is not usually an immediate danger, but it is no longer carrying load as it should and tends to worsen. Loose bricks that could fall, or a fast-growing crack above, need prompt attention. Do not rely on the window frame to hold it.
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.
Other structural repairs in Dudley
- Underpinning
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Dudley
Have several dropped arches along one Dudley elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.