Bricklayer day rates, UK 2026
Typical UK range
£240–£400
per day, ex VAT
≈ £30–£50/hour · reviewed July 2026
What moves the rate
- 01Price-per-thousand-bricks is a common alternative to the day rate on volume work
- 02Gang rates — a 2+1 gang (two bricklayers and a labourer) prices as a unit
- 03Facing brickwork and detailing versus blockwork
- 04Winter slowdowns when frost stops mortar work
On new-build sites bricklayers are usually paid per thousand bricks laid, but domestic work — garden walls, extensions, repairs — runs on day rates. Persistent shortages of experienced bricklayers have kept this trade's rates climbing faster than most.
Bricklayer rates by region
| Region | Day rate | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater London | £325–£540 | £41–£68 | Detail → |
| South East England | £275–£460 | £34–£58 | Detail → |
| East of England | £250–£420 | £31–£53 | Detail → |
| South West England | £240–£400 | £30–£50 | Detail → |
| Scotland | £235–£390 | £29–£49 | Detail → |
| West Midlands | £230–£385 | £29–£48 | Detail → |
| North West England | £225–£375 | £28–£47 | Detail → |
| East Midlands | £220–£370 | £28–£46 | Detail → |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £215–£360 | £27–£45 | Detail → |
| Wales | £215–£355 | £27–£44 | Detail → |
| North East England | £205–£340 | £26–£43 | Detail → |
| Northern Ireland | £195–£330 | £24–£41 | Detail → |
Is your rate right?
A benchmark tells you what the market pays. It doesn't tell you what you need — that depends on your overheads, your tax pot and how many days you really bill. Two minutes in the calculator settles it.
Bricklayer day rates — FAQs
- How much does a bricklayer charge per day in the UK?
- Typically £240–£400 a day, ex VAT, for standard domestic work. London runs roughly a third higher and the lowest-cost regions around 15% below — see the regional breakdown above.
- What affects what a bricklayer charges?
- Experience and reputation, your region, how complex or specialist the work is, whether it's an emergency, and the overheads a bricklayer carries (insurance, van, tools, certification). On new-build sites bricklayers are usually paid per thousand bricks laid, but domestic work — garden walls, extensions, repairs — runs on day rates. Persistent shortages of experienced bricklayers have kept this trade's rates climbing faster than most.
- Do bricklayers charge VAT?
- Only if VAT-registered — mandatory once turnover passes £90,000 a year — in which case 20% is added on top. Plenty of sole traders are below the threshold and don't charge it, so check before you agree a price.
- Should I get more than one quote?
- Yes — two or three quotes give you a fair benchmark and make an outlier obvious. A written quote is legally binding in the UK, so a fair one shouldn't move unless you change the scope of the work.
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Indicative ranges compiled from public cost guides, reviewed July 2026. Ex VAT. A guide, not a quote.