Ammanford · Dyfed
Brick arch repairs in Ammanford
If you live in a period home in Ammanford, 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SA18
- Population
- about 24,000
- Area
- Dyfed
- Pricing region
- Wales
What is the ground like in Dyfed?
Ammanford is in Dyfed and takes in postcode districts SA18. About 24,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Clydach (8 miles), Gorseinon (9 miles) and Llanelli (11 miles).
Clay shrinkage is less of a concern in Dyfed, so other causes such as drains, poor footings or older walls are checked first. Parts of Dyfed lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Dyfed: Stone cottages, Victorian terraces in Llanelli and Carmarthen, and post-war estates.
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.
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.
What to look for before calling about brick arch repairs
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
- Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
Brick arch repairs prices in Ammanford
Guide prices below are for homes in Ammanford, on Wales rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest. | £370 – £1,100 | per arch |
| Rebuilding an arch (one side) | £830 – £1,200 | per opening |
| Rebuilding an arch (both sides) | £1,650 – £2,400 | 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
Rules for brick arch repairs in Wales
In Wales, small like-for-like repairs do not usually need approval, but work that alters or strengthens the structure needs building control under the Welsh Building Regulations, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can apply to shared walls.
Questions about brick arch repairs in Ammanford
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Ammanford?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Ammanford start from about £370 per arch, including VAT, on Wales rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Ammanford?
Yes, Ammanford is covered, along with postcode districts SA18. We also cover nearby Clydach and Gorseinon.
Is the ground in Dyfed prone to subsidence?
The western edge of the South Wales coalfield lies beneath Llanelli, Ammanford and parts of Pembrokeshire, while the rest of the area is older hard rock with glacial deposits in the valleys. 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.
Other structural repairs in Ammanford
Brick arch repairs near Ammanford
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Ammanford; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.