Swansea · West Glamorgan
Brick arch repairs in Swansea
Flat soldier arches on Swansea 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
- SA1, SA2, SA5
- Population
- about 300,000
- Area
- West Glamorgan
- Pricing region
- Wales
What should you know about the ground under Swansea?
Swansea, West Glamorgan: about 300,000 residents across postcode districts SA1, SA2, SA5. Neighbouring towns we cover: Clydach (5 miles), Gorseinon (5 miles) and Neath (7 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. Across West Glamorgan, most homes are hillside terraces, Victorian villas in Swansea and post-war estates.
What happens when we carry out brick arch repairs in Swansea?
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.
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.
Signs you may need brick arch repairs
- Cracks stepping out from the arch ends into the wall
- A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
- Gaps opening between arch bricks at the top or bottom edge
How much will brick arch repairs cost in Swansea?
Guide prices below are for homes in Swansea, 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 |
Which repair method suits a home in Swansea?
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.
Brick arch repairs in Swansea: questions and answers
How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Swansea?
Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Swansea 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 Swansea?
We do. Swansea and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Clydach and Gorseinon. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
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.
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.
Why has the middle of my brick arch dropped?
The centre of an arch usually drops because the bricks have lost their wedge, either because the wall at the sides has moved or the mortar has worn away. A rotting timber hidden behind the arch is another common cause. The keystone slipping is the visible result.
Related work in Swansea
- Wall tie replacement
- Underpinning
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Gable end wall repairs
- Bay window subsidence repairs
Brick arch repairs near Swansea
Our guide-price tool covers arch reinforcement and rebuilds in Swansea; add a photo and we can say which applies to yours.