Swindon · Wiltshire
Brick arch repairs in Swindon
If you live in a period home in Swindon, 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£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SN1, SN2, SN3
- Population
- about 200,000
- Area
- Wiltshire
- Pricing region
- South West
What is the ground like in Wiltshire?
Swindon (SN1, SN2, SN3) has around 200,000 residents and sits in Wiltshire. We also take enquiries from nearby Calne (13 miles), Cirencester (14 miles) and Carterton (16 miles).
Wiltshire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Wiltshire: Stone cottages, railway terraces in Swindon, and large post-war and new-build estates.
Brick arch repairs prices in Swindon
These are guide prices for Swindon, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £410 – £1,250 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £925 – £1,350 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,850 – £2,700 | 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
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 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.
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
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
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 Swindon
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Swindon?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Swindon start from about £410 per arch, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Swindon?
We do. Swindon and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Calne and Cirencester. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Wiltshire prone to subsidence?
Southern Wiltshire is chalk, while the north around Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge sits on Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays that are prone to seasonal movement near trees. Bath stone was mined underground around Corsham. 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 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 Swindon
- Structural crack repairs
- Wall tie replacement
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Gable end wall repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
Brick arch repairs near Swindon
Once the brick and mortar match is agreed for your Swindon arch, we put a fixed price in writing before any work is booked.