Masonry is estimated by wall area. Each brick or block, together with its share of mortar joint, covers a fixed patch of wall face.
Counts per area
| Unit | Face size with joint | Per area |
|---|---|---|
| Brick 215 × 65 | 225 × 75 mm | 59.3 per m² (use 60) |
| Block 440 × 215 | 450 × 225 mm | 9.88 per m² (use 10) |
A double-thickness wall doubles the brick count. Add 5% waste for new brick and up to 10% for reclaimed.
Mortar
A practical rule: per 1,000 bricks, about 1 tonne of building sand and 6–8 bags of cement at 1:4 to 1:5. Per 100 blocks (100 mm), roughly 0.2 tonnes of sand and 2 bags of cement.
Don't forget
- Wall ties for cavity walls (about 2.5 per m²)
- Lintels over openings
- DPC, cavity trays and weep vents
- Expansion joints and fillers
- Scaffolding and lifting above about 1.5 m
- Footings, from the footing calculator
Productivity
Bricklayers typically lay 300–500 bricks a day on plain work, and far fewer on facework with detailing, piers and openings. Price labour from your own track record where you can.
This guide is general information for estimating. It is not engineering, legal or tax advice. Check the Building Regulations and Building Control for your project.