Solihull · West Midlands
Brick arch repairs in Solihull
Rebuilding an arch in Solihull is a precise job: a former cut to the exact curve, tight joints and a keystone set at the right height. Done well, the new arch looks as though it was always there.
Guide price from£400per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- B90, B91, B92
- Population
- about 130,000
- Area
- West Midlands
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What should you know about the ground under Solihull?
Solihull, West Midlands: about 130,000 residents across postcode districts B90, B91, B92. We also take enquiries from nearby Birmingham (7 miles), Kenilworth (9 miles) and Smethwick (10 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. Housing stock in West Midlands: Victorian terraces, inter-war semis, Black Country industrial housing and large post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
Brick arch repairs prices in Solihull
These are guide prices for Solihull, using West Midlands rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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
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
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 Solihull
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Solihull?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Solihull 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 Solihull?
Yes, Solihull is covered, along with postcode districts B90, B91, B92. We also cover nearby Birmingham and Kenilworth.
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.
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.
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.
Related work in Solihull
- Floor joist repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Solihull
Request a written, no-obligation price for arch repairs in Solihull; every arch is itemised, along with any work needed on the inside face.