Haywards Heath · West Sussex
Brick arch repairs in Haywards Heath
Before repairing a brick arch at a Haywards Heath property, we check what sits behind it. A rotting timber lintel on the inner face is a frequent hidden cause, and fixing only the visible arch would leave the real problem in place.
Guide price from£450per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- RH16
- Population
- about 34,000
- Area
- West Sussex
- Pricing region
- South East
Why does the ground in West Sussex matter for brick arch repairs?
Haywards Heath (RH16) has around 34,000 residents and sits in West Sussex. Nearby places we cover include Burgess Hill (3 miles), Crawley (9 miles) and Uckfield (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. What you mostly find across West Sussex: Wealden cottages, 1930s semis and bungalows on the coast, and new-town estates in Crawley.
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Haywards Heath?
The ranges below reflect typical South East costs for brick arch repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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 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.
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.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
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
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Haywards Heath?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Haywards Heath 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Haywards Heath?
We do. Haywards Heath and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Burgess Hill and Crawley. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Does the ground around Haywards Heath cause cracking?
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.
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 you match the original bricks?
Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.
More repairs we carry out in Haywards Heath
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Gable end wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Haywards Heath
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Haywards Heath home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.