Brick arch repairs in Lancing

Postcodes: BN15
Population: about 19,000
Area: West Sussex
Pricing region: South East

How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Lancing?

We cover Lancing and its postcode districts BN15, part of West Sussex, with a population of roughly 19,000. Neighbouring towns we cover: Shoreham-by-Sea (2 miles), Worthing (2 miles) and Brighton (8 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. Across West Sussex, most homes are Wealden cottages, 1930s semis and bungalows on the coast, and new-town estates in Crawley.

Which repair method suits a home in Lancing?

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 when we carry out brick arch repairs in Lancing?

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.
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.

Signs you may need brick arch repairs

The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather

How much will brick arch repairs cost in Lancing?

Guide prices below are for homes in Lancing, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.

Guide prices inc VAT on South East rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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

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.

Brick arch repairs in Lancing: questions and answers

How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Lancing?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Lancing 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.

Can you survey a property in Lancing?

We do. Lancing and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Shoreham-by-Sea and Worthing. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.

Why do houses in West Sussex crack?

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.

What is a former in arch building?

A former, sometimes called a centre, is a temporary timber frame cut to the exact shape of the arch. It supports the bricks while the arch is laid and the mortar cures, and is removed once the arch can carry itself.

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 Lancing

Brick arch repairs near Lancing

Have several dropped arches along one Lancing elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.