07400 418340info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–5pm · Sat by arrangement 07400 418340 HomeAboutServices Areas Our WorkContact07400 418340Request Free Estimate Home/Services/General BuildingGeneral Building · Highworth · Swindon · Cotswolds # General Builder in Highworth,Swindon & the Cotswoldsno job too small, none too awkward Structural alterations, load-bearing openings, small repairs and the awkward jobs other trades won't touch: handled in-house by the same family team. Request a Free Estimate Call 07400 418340 40 years' experience · Family-run · Free site visits · Fully insured 40 yrs on the tools since 1988 3 family team on every job 3–5 days for a written estimate £5m public liability insured Overview ## The trades a home actually needs: under one roof. "General building" is a phrase that can mean almost anything, so here's what it means for us. It means the jobs that need more than one trade: structural openings, chimney work, external repairs, part-project rescues, and it means the small jobs that don't fit anyone else's diary. Because we're a small team, we take those on. ### What the service covers Load-bearing wall removals with steel installation, chimney removal or rebuild, structural repair, rebuilding damaged elevations, brick and stone repairs, small rear alterations short of a full extension, garage conversions (shell and finish), rebuilding fire-damaged sections, insurance-work reinstatement, and the general small repairs that keep a property watertight and tidy. ### Who it's for Homeowners with a structural alteration too small to appeal to a big contractor but too involved for a handyman. Landlords needing a reliable local firm for repair and reinstatement work. People halfway through a project with a builder who's disappeared. Insurance claim clients who need a proper firm to reinstate work after damage. ### When it's needed You want to knock through into the kitchen. A chimney is failing and needs rebuilding or taking down. Storm damage has taken part of a wall or roof. A previous builder has left you with unfinished, non-compliant or dangerous work. Or you just need one trusted firm to look after the property over time. ### Why one team matters General building is where jobs go wrong. Multiple trades, sequencing, structural implications, someone has to keep the whole picture in mind. On our jobs that person is Dale, and he's on the tools with you, not on the phone from a portacabin. The cost of getting it wrong ## The consequences of leaving general work to drift. Small building problems don't stay small. ### Structural issues get more expensive A cracked lintel is a day's work today, or a rebuilt opening in two years' time. ### Water damage escalates Missing tiles, failed pointing and blocked gutters all put water into the fabric. By the time internal plaster is staining, the damage is already three months old. ### Insurance work stalls without a reliable trade Insurers pay for the fix but the client has to find someone to do it properly: and stall the claim if the work isn't right. ### Half-finished projects cost twice Someone else has to inspect, unpick, and finish. That inspection alone can eat what you thought you'd saved by going cheap. Common mistake, Common mistake: taking the cheapest quote from a builder whose name you don't recognise. Local reputation matters: we live in Highworth; we can't afford a bad job in the village. Our process ## How general building runs on our jobs. Same four steps regardless of size. - 01 ### Enquiry & call-back Ring, email or drop a message. We reply within one working day and book a free site visit if it's a job we can help with. - 02 ### Free site visit Dale walks the job, listens, and gives you a straight opinion: including telling you if it's not the right job for us. - 03 ### Written estimate Itemised written estimate within 3–5 working days. Small repairs may be quoted on the spot or by return. - 04 ### Booked in, done, handed over We turn up when we say we will, work in staged payments, and don't leave the job until you're happy. The benefits ## Why our approach to general building pays off. ### One point of contact Dale runs the job. You don't chase multiple trades or an absent project manager. ### Right trade for the right task Bricklayers doing brickwork, plasterers doing plaster: not one 'general labourer' doing everything. ### Small jobs actually get done We take on small repairs and awkward jobs that bigger firms won't quote for. ### Insurance-ready £5m public liability and £10m employers' liability: paperwork available for insurers when they need it. ### Honest about scope If a job is out of our lane (major heritage restoration, gas, electrics) we'll say so and point you the right way. ### Local and staying put We're not going anywhere. If something needs looking at in 12 months, we're still five minutes down the road. In detail ## General building, in detail. What we take on, and where the honest edges are. ### Structural work Load-bearing wall removals with steel beams and pad-stones installed to a structural engineer's design. Chimney breast removals with appropriate support. Opening up walls between rooms. Reinstating structural elements damaged by movement or impact. ### External repair & restoration Rebuilding sections of failing brickwork, repointing failed mortar joints, replacing damaged copings, repairing chimney stacks above the roofline, patch repairs to render and stone, tie replacement on cavity walls that have moved. ### Small works & repairs Individual brick or stone replacement, garden wall repair after impact or collapse, replacement lintels, hearth and fireplace rebuilds, garage floor repair, external step and threshold rebuilds: the small useful jobs. ### Rescue & reinstatement Picking up work left half-finished by another builder. Reinstating damage caused by storm, impact or fire. Insurance-claim work with paperwork the loss adjuster is happy with. ### What we don't take on Gas work, electrical installation, soft landscaping (plants, borders), flat roofing, and large commercial or industrial contracts. We can recommend trusted trades for the ones we don't cover. Recent works ## Recent general building and other jobs from around the patch. See all our work Previous slideNext slide Where we work ## General Building across our patch. See all areas General Building in SwindonGeneral Building in HighworthGeneral Building in LechladeGeneral Building in FairfordGeneral Building in CirencesterGeneral Building in FaringdonGeneral Building in WitneyGeneral Building in BurfordGeneral Building in Shrivenham FAQs ## Questions we're asked about general building. Can't see yours? Ring Dale on 07400 418340. Is there such a thing as too small a job?Not really. We take on individual brick repairs and small alterations that bigger firms won't quote for. Give Dale a ring and we'll be honest about whether we can help. Can you remove a load-bearing wall?Yes, with a structural engineer's design for the steel beam and support. We'll help you appoint one if you don't already have one. Do you do insurance-claim reinstatement?Yes. We're fully insured and can supply the paperwork insurers ask for. How quickly can you come out for a repair?For genuine emergencies (collapse, impact, exposed structure) we'll try to attend same or next day. Ring 07400 418340 rather than emailing for anything urgent. Do you handle building control on structural alterations?Building control is between you and building control. We assist with the on-site inspection stages and provide what building control need at each visit. Do you take card payments?No: bank transfer or cash only, in staged payments as the work progresses. No deposit taken. Can you take over a half-finished job?Sometimes, it depends on what's already been done. Dale will come out, look at it honestly, and tell you whether it's rescuable or whether some parts need to come out and start again. Do you cover Shrivenham and Faringdon?Yes, both are close by. We also cover Swindon, Highworth, Lechlade, Fairford, Cirencester, Witney and Burford. Related trades ## Other work handled by the same family team. ### Bricklaying Fair-faced brickwork, garden walls, arches and repairs: built by the family that's been doing it since 1988. Read more ### Extensions Full home extensions handled start to finish: groundworks, brickwork, roofing, plastering. Read more ### Plastering & Render Smooth internal plastering and clean external render by the same three-person family team. Read more Ready when you are ## Get a free estimate for general building. Free site visit at a time that suits. Written, itemised estimate in 3–5 working days. Staged payments, nothing due before we start. Request Free Estimate Call 07400 418340 Family-run since 1988 £5m public liability Free site visits Bank transfer or cash 07400 418340 info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk 329 Windrush, Highworth A three-person, family-run building firm serving Highworth, Swindon and the Cotswolds. 40 years on the tools: honest quotes, quality work, and we turn up when we say we will. 07400 418340 info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk 329 Windrush, HighworthMonday – Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm · Saturday: available for smaller jobs by arrangement · Sunday: closed ### Building Services - Bricklaying in Highworth & Swindon - Stone Laying in Highworth & Swindon - Extensions in Highworth & Swindon - General Building in Highworth & Swindon - Plastering & Render in Highworth & Swindon - Patios & Hard Landscaping in Highworth & Swindon - Fencing in Highworth & Swindon - Pitched Roofing in Highworth & Swindon - Guttering & Fascias in Highworth & Swindon - Kitchens & Bathrooms in Highworth & Swindon - All building services → ### Areas Covered - Builders in Swindon - Builders in Highworth - Builders in Lechlade - Builders in Fairford - Builders in Cirencester - Builders in Faringdon - Builders in Witney - Builders in Burford - Builders in Shrivenham - All areas we cover → ### Assurance - £5,000,000 public liability - £10,000,000 employers' liability - Enquiries answered within one working day © 2026 DR Smith Building. All rights reserved.·Cookie Policy Family-run · Highworth, Wiltshire Call now Free estimate We use essential cookies to run this site. With your permission we also use optional cookies for our live chat and to understand how the site is used. See our cookie policy. Accept allEssential only