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N NeedATrade
Trade 2 of 33Updated May 2026

A research dossier · 41 NSW + 32 QLD + 31 VIC homeowner posts · AS 3700 + 4773 verified

Hiring a Bricklayer
is buying the mortar mix.

Brickwork looks identical until you check three things: mortar joint thickness + consistency, the joint finish itself, and the brick ties hidden in the cavity. The cheap brickie skimps on one or more. Five years later you find efflorescence streaks, cracked joints, and walls that move when the wind blows.

1000

Bricks priced per thousand laid.

10mm

Standard mortar joint thickness. Consistent across the wall.

AS 3700

Masonry Structures — the Australian Standard.

How this page was built

A research dossier, not a referral page.

Sources

Reddit + Whirlpool + ProductReview, AS 3700 (Masonry Structures), AS 4773 (Masonry for small buildings), Think Brick Australia.

Verification

Pricing cross-checked. Mortar mix specs verified. State licensing thresholds per residential building work.

Funding

No brickie pays for placement. Funded by the supply-side flyer service at flyers.needatrade.com.au.

Before we start

The bricks are the same brand.
The mortar + the joints are not.

Two brickies can buy bricks from the same yard + lay them on the same job + the walls look entirely different in five years. The difference is mortar mix consistency, joint finish + thickness, and the hidden cavity work (ties, weep holes, flashing). All invisible after handover.

Walk past their last job. Look at the joint thickness — is it consistent? Look for efflorescence — is the wall clean?

01

How much should it really cost?

Brickwork priced per 1,000 bricks laid. Plus mortar + scaffolding (high walls) + cleaning + jointing. Decorative bonds (English, Flemish) add cost.

Indicative ranges · AU 2026

Bricks laid (stretcher bond · per 1000)$1,400 – $2,200
Premium bond (English / Flemish)$1,800 – $2,800
Garage wall (6m × 2.4m · 1500 bricks)$3,500 – $5,500
Boundary brick fence (per linear m · 1.8m high)$280 – $480/m
Repointing (per m²)$80 – $180/m²

Ask this, exactly

"What's the price per 1000 bricks, what mortar mix (e.g. M3), what bond pattern + jointing finish — in writing?"

02

How to tell a real one from a cowboy.

Red flags

  • !

    Inconsistent joint thickness

    Standard = 10mm consistent. Sloppy mortar joints = sloppy mortar mix = walls that fail.

  • !

    Wrong mortar mix

    M3 standard for residential. Cheap mixes (more sand / less cement) save material cost + halve the wall's life.

  • !

    No mention of brick ties / weep holes

    Cavity walls need brick ties (every 600mm typically) + weep holes at base. Skipped = wall fails AS 3700.

  • !

    Cash payment

    Standard pattern. No invoice = no warranty trail.

  • !

    Laying in heavy rain

    Mortar washes out before cure. Top of wall must be covered overnight. Cowboys lay anyway to hit a deadline.

Verification — 5 min, free

  1. ✓
    State licence above threshold (NSW $5k+ / QLD $3.3k+ / VIC $10k+).
  2. ✓
    ABN + Public liability certificate.
  3. ✓
    Two reference walls at year 5+. Drive past + check joint consistency + efflorescence.
  4. ✓
    Structural engineering certificate for retaining + load-bearing work.

Ask this, exactly

"What mortar mix, what joint finish + thickness, what brick ties + spacing, and is engineering needed?"

03

Licence + structural rules.

NSWNew South Wales

NSW Fair Trading

  • Bricklaying over $5k requires a Specialist Trade certificate.
  • Structural / load-bearing requires builder + engineer.
QLDQueensland

QBCC

  • QBCC licence above $3,300.
  • Home Warranty Scheme threshold same.
VICVictoria

VBA

  • VBA registration above $10k.
  • DBI above $16k for structural masonry.

Half-time

Walk past their last job. The joints tell the truth.

Quote anatomy, the cowboy test, the licence. The first three sort the working brickies from the operators with sloppy joint lines. The next seven are how working brickies tell themselves apart.

04

When can they fit you in?

Brickies 4–8 weeks out. Weather sensitive — mortar doesn't cure properly in heavy rain or 38°+. Working brickies work around weather.

Ask this, exactly

"What's your start date + your rule for rain or extreme heat days?"

05

What happens next, step by step.

  1. 1Step

    Set out + footing

    Wall position marked. Footing inspected (or built first by concreter / builder). DPC layer down.

  2. 2Step

    First course + alignment

    First course laid level + plumb. Critical for the whole wall. Re-checked before continuing.

  3. 3Step

    Courses + ties + weep holes

    Bricks laid in chosen bond. Mortar joints consistent 10mm. Wall ties at spec. Weep holes at base.

  4. 4Step

    Lintels + openings

    Steel lintels above doors + windows. Engineering certificate if structural.

  5. 5Step

    Jointing + clean-up

    Joints finished (struck / flush / raked / ironed). Excess mortar removed. Wall cleaned with acid wash if needed.

  6. 6Step

    Cap + cure

    Wall capped (overnight rain protection). Photos taken. Final clean after cure.

06

New wall, extension, or repointing?

Option A

New wall

Boundary wall, garage wall, retaining. Standalone job. Engineering for structural.

Option B

Extension to existing

Match existing brick + bond + joint finish. Specialist sub-trade if heritage or unusual brick.

Option C

Repointing

Removing old mortar + replacing. Specialist heritage skill. Wrong mortar mix = damaged historic bricks.

07

Warranty — cracking vs efflorescence.

  1. Layer 01

    Statutory structural

    6 years (NSW · VIC) / 6.5 years (QLD) on structural masonry.

  2. Layer 02

    Workmanship

    1–5 years. Settlement cracks at lintels are common + not a defect. Joint failure or wall lean = defect.

  3. Layer 03

    Brick manufacturer

    Brick itself warranted 10+ years against defects. Quality variation between batches sometimes a real issue.

  4. Layer 04

    Efflorescence

    First 6 months = normal. Persistent after a year = workmanship + materials defect (claimable).

Ask this, exactly

"What's your warranty + the rule on settlement cracks vs structural cracks vs efflorescence?"

08

Heritage, structural, retaining.

  • Heritage building

    Lime mortar (not modern cement). Original-pattern bricks. Specialist heritage brickie.

  • Structural / load-bearing

    Engineering certificate + builder's licence required. Not standalone bricklayer work above threshold.

  • Retaining wall

    Over 600mm height = engineering + structural. Many bricklayers refuse retaining work — engineering risk too high.

  • Coastal

    Salt-resistant mortar + bricks. Specialist coastal brickwork.

Ask this, exactly

"Have you done heritage / structural / retaining / coastal — and is engineering needed for this scope?"

09

Edge cases — get a second opinion for…

  • Heritage repointing

    Lime mortar specific to the building's era. Modern cement damages original bricks.

  • Arches + curves

    Specialist craft. Templates + careful set-out. Many brickies refuse arch work.

  • Piers + columns

    Engineering for load-bearing piers. Specialist sub-trade.

  • Stonemasonry

    Different trade entirely. Cut stone, natural cleft, dry stone walls.

  • Brick veneer extension

    Match existing brick. Sometimes original bricks discontinued — closest match + skill required.

  • Acid wash clean-up

    Done at end of build. Specialist sub-trade if heritage or unusual brick.

  • Below-ground / wet

    Brickwork below ground level needs waterproof barrier + specialist mortar.

  • Cyclonic + bushfire zone

    BAL + cyclone-rated install. Tie spacing + frame fixing tighter.

  • Strata common-property brick

    OC approval. Common-property wall touch needs body corporate involvement.

10

After they leave.

Mortar cures 28 days to full strength. Settlement cracks at lintels are normal in the first 12 months. Efflorescence (white salt streaks) is normal in the first 6 months — disappears as construction water dries out. Any of these persisting beyond those windows = call back.

Ask this, exactly

"Will you come back at 6 + 12 months to check efflorescence + settlement?"

If you've read this far

A bricklayer who names the mortar mix + the joint finish + the wall ties is not a unicorn. It's the bar.

We can introduce you to brickies in your area who already work this way. No paid placement.

Find a vetted bricklayer New wall · extension · repointing
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