Bricklaying is a technique through which bricks are used to build structures by combining them with cement or mortar. This process can be used as an alternative building technique for many builders because of its availability and durability. Bricks are also good thermal conductors and are very affordable to maintain. An expert bricklayer may be called upon to help you lay bricks for your home, business, or other area.

Bricks and their costs in Australia

Below are the three major products of bricks and their costs in various Australian cities (per 1,000 units).

Sydney

• Standard clay common bricks – $640
• Facing bricks clay (standard) – $940
• Cement mortar per 1000 standard bricks – $145

Perth

• Standard clay common bricks – $814
• Facing bricks clay (standard) – $953
• Cement mortar per 1000 standard bricks – $87.50

Melbourne

• Standard clay common bricks – $560
• Facing bricks clay (standard) – $690
• Cement mortar per 1000 standard bricks – $92.50

*Pricing is based on the Australian Construction Handbook 2018 Edition. Prices may vary depending on the individual contractor.

The job type

The kind of job you want a bricklayer to do for you can be a big determining factor as to what the price will be. Complex jobs will always mean that the bricklayer will charge more for a job. Here are the types of bricklaying jobs and the average bricklaying costs:

• Garden walls: $1,175 – $2,711
• Laying Foundations: $6,506 – $18,073
• Creating openings for doors and windows: $903 – $1,807 for each opening
• Garage building: $32,531 – $54,220
• Laying Patio: $1,626 – $4,518
• Building Fireplace: $361 – $1,084
• Building Steps: $451 – $1,355
• Removing a Wall: $542 – $3,163

Factors affecting the cost of bricklaying

Here are the various factors that affect the cost of a bricklaying job:

Brick Type

The type of brick you are using for your construction will affect the cost of laying the bricks more than anything else, and bricks are different from each other. Handmade bricks, for instance, are considered to be pricier than engineering bricks, and that means you budget for more money if you're going to use them. Building blocks are used as an added support to the bricks even though there's not much difference in their prizes. However, they're easier to lay and quicker to lay. Some brick types include:

Handmade Bricks: These are carefully crafted bricks by specialists. This makes them more expensive than standard bricks, and they're used in conservative areas.

Wire Cut Bricks: Wire cut bricks are characterised by having holes across their length. They are mostly used as facing bricks.

Reclaimed Bricks: These are bricks that have been used for a former structure but are reclaimed and reused for another structure.

Common Concrete Bricks: These types of bricks are often used internally in the house because they're not as durable as the other bricks.

Engineering Bricks: Engineering bricks are built for strength and are used for structures that should be damp-proof. They can retain water.

Facing Bricks: They're the most common type of brick mostly in use in the UK.

Building Blocks: These are produced to be attractive with beautiful patterns, and that makes them predominantly used indoors due to their attractiveness.

Level of risk or job difficulty

The majority of the bricklaying job is often done outdoors and is mostly exposed at heights that can put them in danger. Working at such heights can put bricklayers at risk of falling and getting seriously injured. Laying bricks in such conditions will mean that bricklayers will charge more for them to use special equipment to secure themselves from falling.

Other considerations that affect the price of bricklaying

Additional services

Building a brick wall does not involve using the brick alone. You would have to use bricklaying materials such as cement, mortar, clay bricks, and then pay for labour costs. The implication is that you may have to factor in all these services before estimating how much it would cost for you to finish your work.

Building extensions

Adding a second storey to your home and using bricks on their walls would always attract extra charges when you employ a bricklayer. The quality of the bricks that you would use in such conditions should not be ignored as they would determine if the job can be completed or not. Moreover, using brick veneer materials may increase the overall cost of the job.

Retaining walls

Retaining walls are made to retain earth materials and prevent them from falling off or eroding. Brick retaining walls are complex structures to build and involve measuring the distance between the laying of each brick. This makes the process considerably costlier to make than the average brick wall due to its structural integrity.

Brick fences

Brick fences are fences that are designed entirely out of bricks from to bottom. Brick fences are attractive and will add value to the beauty of your home due to their durability and ability to withstand degradation. Brick fencing in Australia is often charged by the hour at an average cost of between $60 and 100.

Brick repointing

Brick repointing is the process of repairing the mortar joints between bricks or other masonry elements. This is done over time to a brick structure to strengthen it, and the process is a delicate one. Bricklayers often charge more to repoint bricks due to the attention to detail that it commands when it's done. The defective mortar is removed and replaced with a fresh one which attracts extra labour than usual. Brick pointing or repointing average costs in Australia stand between $5 and $25 per linear metre.

Fireplace installations

Fireplaces are mostly built with bricks due to their ability to withstand heat and their low heat conductivity. Building a fireplace will require using standard bricks that will last for a very long time. This would require the bricklayer to use some of the most sophisticated materials, such as mortar and other equipment. The average cost of building a fireplace in Australia is between $1,900 and $4,500.

What is the average bricklayer salary?

 Here is the average bricklayer wage in different cities across Australia:

• Brisbane – Between $28 and $46 per hour.
• Sydney – Between $31 and $40 per hour.
• Melbourne – Between $22 and $45 per hour.
• Perth – Between $43 and $47 per hour.
• Canberra – $36 per hour
• Adelaide – Between $21 and $42 per hour.
• New South Wales - $37 per hour
• Western Australia – Between $22 and $48 per hour.

*Rates are obtained from Glassdoor and PayScale.

Tips for hiring a bricklayer

A good bricklayer can build or construct a building using bricks and other types of bricklaying jobs. The average of hiring bricklayers in Australia ranges between $40 and $60 per hour. Therefore, when trying to hire one for your house project, you need to do research about them. There are online reviews from past customers that have hired bricklayers before. You can contact these clients and ask them what it means to work with the bricklayer involved. It would give you an insight into the experience and professionalism of the bricklayer.

Once you've done the background work on the bricklayer, you can rest assured that you're dealing with an expert in bricklaying and not just a novice or an unprofessional person. Bricklayers are usually licensed to perform big projects. You have to ask them for their licence before any other thing to ensure that they've been licensed to handle such projects.

Find the right bricklaying contractor with iseekplant

The bricklaying process requires the utmost level of skill and has been used to install beautiful structures in most homes. If you want a home structure that is durable with low maintenance, then bricklaying is the best method to use. Bricklayers may be few, but they're still the best individuals to help out with a bricklaying project. Also, hiring professional bricklayers is important to ensure that your project is handled by a reliable and competent expert.

To know the bricklaying cost in your area, you can reach out to different providers, request quotes, and compare with others. If you need help finding a licensed bricklayer in your area, you can get in touch with our expert team at iseekplant today. We can help you get the best quote for your job from bricklaying services throughout Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Adelaide, and other cities across Australia. Use our Get a Quote Tool today to compare quotes and make the right choice, or email our projects team for more information.