Clydach · West Glamorgan
Brick arch repairs in Clydach
Flat soldier arches on Clydach 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£370per arch inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SA6, SA7
- Population
- about 19,000
- Area
- West Glamorgan
- Pricing region
- Wales
What should you know about the ground under Clydach?
Postcode districts SA6, SA7 cover Clydach, a West Glamorgan town of about 19,000 people. Nearby places we cover include Neath (4 miles), Swansea (5 miles) and Gorseinon (6 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of West Glamorgan. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of West Glamorgan, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. What you mostly find across West Glamorgan: hillside terraces, Victorian villas in Swansea and post-war estates.
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Clydach?
Prices in Clydach are worked out on Wales 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. | £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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Clydach?
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 when we carry out brick arch repairs in Clydach?
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.
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.
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
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
- The centre bricks of an arch sitting lower than the rest
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.
Brick arch repairs in Clydach: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Clydach?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Clydach 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.
Can you survey a property in Clydach?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Clydach, including SA6, SA7, and from nearby places such as Neath and Swansea. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in West Glamorgan crack?
Swansea and Neath Port Talbot lie on the South Wales coalfield, with historic workings, tips and steep valley sides, and softer estuarine ground around the docks. 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.
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.
Related work in Clydach
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Subsidence repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
Brick arch repairs near Clydach
Send a straight-on photo of the dropped or cracked arch at your Clydach home, and we will offer a free view on whether it needs reinforcing or rebuilding.