Chichester · West Sussex
Brick arch repairs in Chichester
If you live in a period home in Chichester, 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£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PO19
- Population
- about 32,000
- Area
- West Sussex
- Pricing region
- South East
What should you know about the ground under Chichester?
Chichester is in West Sussex and takes in postcode districts PO19. About 32,000 people live there. Neighbouring towns we cover: Bognor Regis (6 miles), Emsworth (7 miles) and Hayling Island (9 miles).
West Sussex is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in West Sussex: Wealden cottages, 1930s semis and bungalows on the coast, and new-town estates in Crawley.
Brick arch repairs prices in Chichester
Prices in Chichester are worked out on South East 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. | £450 – £1,350 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £1,000 – £1,450 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £2,000 – £2,900 | 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
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
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
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 Chichester
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Chichester?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Chichester start from about £450 per arch, including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Chichester?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Chichester, including PO19, and from nearby places such as Bognor Regis and Emsworth. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in West Sussex prone to subsidence?
North West Sussex around Crawley and Horsham sits on Weald Clay, the South Downs are chalk, and the coastal plain has brickearth and gravels. The Weald Clay is prone to shrink-swell movement near trees. 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 Chichester
- Wall tie replacement
- Bowing wall repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Chichester
If bricks in an arch at your Chichester property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.