Mirfield · West Yorkshire
Brick arch repairs in Mirfield
Flat soldier arches on Mirfield houses tend to sag once a hidden bar rusts or an old window frame is replaced. Reinforcing them with stainless bars in the joints above is often enough, without taking the arch down.
Guide price from£380per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- WF14
- Population
- about 19,000
- Area
- West Yorkshire
- Pricing region
- Yorkshire and the Humber
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Mirfield?
We cover Mirfield and its postcode districts WF14, part of West Yorkshire, with a population of roughly 19,000. Nearby places we cover include Dewsbury (3 miles), Cleckheaton (4 miles) and Huddersfield (4 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. Typical buildings in West Yorkshire: Stone back-to-backs and terraces, mill housing, Victorian villas and post-war estates.
Is it time for brick arch repairs? Common signs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve
What should you budget for brick arch repairs in Mirfield?
Prices in Mirfield are worked out on Yorkshire and the Humber 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. | £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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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 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
What to expect when we carry out brick arch repairs
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.
Your brick arch repairs questions
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Mirfield?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Mirfield 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.
Can you survey a property in Mirfield?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Mirfield, including WF14, and from nearby places such as Dewsbury and Cleckheaton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in West Yorkshire crack?
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.
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.
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.
Related work in Mirfield
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Wall tie replacement
Brick arch repairs near Mirfield
Have several dropped arches along one Mirfield elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.