Bradford · West Yorkshire
Brick arch repairs in Bradford
A dropped keystone over a front door is a familiar sight on older streets, in Bradford and beyond, and it rarely fixes itself. We look at whether the arch bricks are sound and whether the wall either side has moved, then recommend the lighter repair where it will work.
Guide price from£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BD1, BD3, BD5
- Population
- about 370,000
- Area
- West Yorkshire
- Pricing region
- Yorkshire and the Humber
Is West Yorkshire prone to ground movement?
We cover Bradford and its postcode districts BD1, BD3, BD5, part of West Yorkshire, with a population of roughly 370,000. If you are just outside Bradford, we also cover Shipley (3 miles), Pudsey (4 miles) and Cleckheaton (5 miles).
West Yorkshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of West Yorkshire, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. What you mostly find across West Yorkshire: stone back-to-backs and terraces, mill housing, Victorian villas and post-war estates.
Brick arch repairs prices in Bradford
For Bradford we use Yorkshire and the Humber rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £380 – £1,150 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £855 – £1,250 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,700 – £2,450 | per opening |
How we usually approach brick arch repairs
Reinforcing a sound arch
Where the arch has only dropped slightly and the bricks are sound, stainless helical bars are bonded into the bed joints just above it, extending well into the wall on each side. The bars turn the courses above into a reinforced band of masonry, so the arch no longer has to carry the full load. Joints are repointed to match.
Best for: Slightly dropped or cracked arches with sound bricks
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?
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.
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.
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
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
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 Bradford
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Bradford?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Bradford start from about £380 per arch, including VAT, on Yorkshire and the Humber 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 Bradford?
Yes, Bradford is covered, along with postcode districts BD1, BD3, BD5. We also cover nearby Shipley and Pudsey.
Does the ground around Bradford cause cracking?
West Yorkshire lies largely on the Coal Measures, with shallow historic workings around Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees, and gritstone hills to the west. Steep sites mean retaining walls are common. 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.
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 Bradford
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Lintel replacement
Brick arch repairs near Bradford
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Bradford; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.