How Long For Brick Layers To Build A 4 Bed House ?

[redgriff500]

Hi guys I'm trying to work out if the prices I'm getting for my new 4 bed are reasonable.

Bricklayers are mentioning prices like £320/1000 and £12/m2 blocks and £300 per day for a 2+1 gang which all sounds very reasonable BUT then they are quoting £7k (3 different gangs, pricing 3 different ways)

The house is double fronted (Gross Int exc. garage and loft 1675 ft2) but has large bays and lots of windows so I have calculated it at only 8000 bricks and looking at it I can see (exc blocks for the minute) that there is no way I'd get a B layer to build it for £2560 or in 8.5 days so what is the £320/1000 rate on about ?

Hence I'd like an idea of how long it takes to see whether the prices are reasonable.

Thanks

[FlashmanChop]

redgriff500 said:

Hi guys I'm trying to work out if the prices I'm getting for my new 4 bed are reasonable.

Bricklayers are mentioning prices like £320/1000 and £12/m2 blocks and £300 per day for a 2+1 gang which all sounds very reasonable BUT then they are quoting £7k (3 different gangs, pricing 3 different ways)

The house is double fronted (Gross Int exc. garage and loft 1675 ft2) but has large bays and lots of windows so I have calculated it at only 8000 bricks and looking at it I can see (exc blocks for the minute) that there is no way I'd get a B layer to build it for £2560 or in 8.5 days so what is the £320/1000 rate on about ?

Hence I'd like an idea of how long it takes to see whether the prices are reasonable.

Thanks

the £320/1000 is the cost of laying the 1000 bricks. 60 bricks per m²

http://www.ibstock.com/pdfs/technical-support/TIS2...

[redgriff500]

Thanks but I understand that in theory...

but when I calc it out on the rates given (including blockwork) I get £5700 and they are quoting £6500-7500

I have heard that some quote on a wall as though it had no windows which seems a bit biased.

[vescaegg]

redgriff500 said:

Thanks but I understand that in theory...

but when I calc it out on the rates given (including blockwork) I get £5700 and they are quoting £6500-7500

I have heard that some quote on a wall as though it had no windows which seems a bit biased.

A lot of brickies don't count openings as it saves time. They have to form openings which include lintels etc so its easier just measuring across them - works out roughly the same price.

£12 for blockwork is about right, £22-24 for brickwork is about average these days too.

£150/170 for a bricklayer for a day is about right.

[Muncher]

As mentioned they count openings as wall as they will fix window surrounds etc for "free".

[Nuisance_Value]

vescaegg said:

A lot of brickies don't count openings as it saves time. They have to form openings which include lintels etc so its easier just measuring across them - works out roughly the same price.

£12 for blockwork is about right, £22-24 for brickwork is about average these days too.

£150/170 for a bricklayer for a day is about right.

This is pretty much right. We pay our brickies 'through the openings' which includes steel/stone lintels and cills and all window reveals etc.

Otherwise there are different rates for forming reveals, installing cills/lintels/expansion joints/DPC's etc that need to be added into the m2 of the brickwork quantity alone.

Rates per 1000 will vary around the country. Here in Scotland most LO subbies are paying between £250 - £280 which is £15 - £17 per m2, but this will vary on the type of brick (or stone) used, bond style, pointing style etc.

To find the m2/1000 (or vice versa) you divide or multiply by 16.6

Rates also vary depending on quantity of work, brickies will accept lower m2 rates if there are lots of houses to build (as in our case) not so much for a one off private build

You don't say if it's traditional build or timber kit, nor how much brick vs block there is but as for timescales, a clad timber kit would take a couple of weeks, traditional about 4 weeks, assuming you're on top of all the scaffold requirements/materials etc.

Lot's of variables, best to get a few reputable local guys round and get the quotes. Small completion date bonuses are a good idea.

Oh, and never pay brickies on a day rate for a job like this, it's not in your best interest.