Trowbridge · Wiltshire
Brick arch repairs in Trowbridge
Before repairing a brick arch at a Trowbridge 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£410per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BA14
- Population
- about 41,000
- Area
- Wiltshire
- Pricing region
- South West
How do local ground conditions affect brick arch repairs in Trowbridge?
Trowbridge is in Wiltshire and takes in postcode districts BA14. About 41,000 people live there. If you are just outside Trowbridge, we also cover Westbury (4 miles), Melksham (5 miles) and Bath (8 miles).
Parts of Wiltshire have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. 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.
Which repair method suits a home in Trowbridge?
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
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
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Trowbridge?
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.
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Trowbridge?
For Trowbridge we use South West 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. | £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 |
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 Trowbridge: questions and answers
What is the price of brick arch repairs in Trowbridge?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Trowbridge 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 carry out brick arch repairs in Trowbridge?
Yes, Trowbridge is covered, along with postcode districts BA14. We also cover nearby Westbury and Melksham.
Does the ground around Trowbridge cause cracking?
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.
Should a brick arch be repaired with lime mortar?
On older houses built with soft bricks and lime, yes, in most cases. Lime mortar lets the wall breathe and is weaker than the brick, so any movement or frost damage happens in the joints rather than the bricks. Modern hard brickwork can take a cement-based mortar.
Is a dropped brick arch dangerous?
A slightly dropped arch is not usually an immediate danger, but it is no longer carrying load as it should and tends to worsen. Loose bricks that could fall, or a fast-growing crack above, need prompt attention. Do not rely on the window frame to hold it.
More repairs we carry out in Trowbridge
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Crack stitching
- Wall tie replacement
Brick arch repairs near Trowbridge
If bricks in an arch at your Trowbridge property are loose, photograph them from a safe distance and send them over for advice.