Bricklayer day rate (West Midlands)

fifthofwhisky

What would be ballpark day rate for bricklayer and day rate for the mate in the West Midlands (just south of Birmingham) or cost per thousand bricks laid?

What I'm after is a 5m x 1.3m brick and block wall constructing. Footings and materials ready (was let down). What would be ball park costs?

Doozergirl

£200 a day, plus, for a bricklayer. A mate really depends on their skill level.

If you can get hold of one! Demand is driving price.

Spender£

although it might seem risky a few years ago i noticed some bricklayers building some nearby apartment blocks so i approached them to ask if they could help build me a garden wall and one of them told me he could do it as a weekend job.
Tell them what you want and ask for a total price rather than an hourly rate because they really take their time if they know you are paying by the hour.
Bricklayers are in demand so it won't come cheap!

road2manchester

5x1 on a per 100 rate !!!! Noooo! £200 a day or as above agree a job price.

VfM4meplse

Doozergirl wrote: »

£200 a day, plus, for a bricklayer. A mate really depends on their skill level.

If you can get hold of one! Demand is driving price.

I consider myself highly skilled in my job, but have obviously picked the wrong trade! Its no consolation that I could get the hang of building a brick wall within a few hours if I wanted to, but a bricklayer couldn't do what I do without at least 10 years of training

elsien

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I consider myself highly skilled in my job, but have obviously picked the wrong trade! Its no consolation that I could get the hang of building a brick wall within a few hours if I wanted to, but a bricklayer couldn't do what I do without at least 10 years of training

Can we come and watch when your wall promptly falls down again?

Doozergirl

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I consider myself highly skilled in my job, but have obviously picked the wrong trade! Its no consolation that I could get the hang of building a brick wall within a few hours if I wanted to, but a bricklayer couldn't do what I do without at least 10 years of training

Fact is, you couldn't. It is a skill that takes a lot of time to learn and on a much lower rate of pay. Some are vastly better than others and that is testament to the time and effort it takes to be good at the job.

Are you self employed or is someone else organising the marketing, sales, accounts, buildings... and absorbing the cost of employing you and running the overheads of a business?

It really annoys me, actually. Bricklayers are in short supply because most people think they're above the building trade. Ironically, having so few decent people does drive prices up, but these people are outside in all weathers, in all conditions, the last few weeks included, all day every day and that also holds value. It's about time people gave them a bit of respect, given that we all rely on them to have places to sleep and work.

I've been renovating for 20 years and I am still learning. I also know that we all go out in a box.

Doozergirl

ajak81 wrote: »

Following on from that thought do you think there's more of a demand now than say 10/15 years previously or is it more to do with high demand in the building industry? Has there always been a similar shortage of good skilled trades (All trades not just brickies)?

It is absolutely to do with craftmanship not being valued. We're notoriously poor in the UK at building enough houses, I doubt that number is increasing too much despite government targets.

The trades are not considered a reputable career, apprenticeships were devalued, young people are guided away from it. There simply aren't enough younger people involved. It worries me that our people only get older. Who takes over?

I'm quite keen for our son to pick up business with us. It seems to me that the ability to graft, run a business and communicate at different levels is something that will be valued even more moving forward.

Kiran

ajak81 wrote: »

Has there always been a similar shortage of good skilled trades (All trades not just brickies) or is it more acute now?

There's been a skills shortage for quite some time but I think what made it ten times worse was when the credit crunch hit. People who worked out on site as self employed trades or for small contractors no longer had work so they took on alternative employment. To give you an example, a plasterer I know got a job with Amazon picking peoples orders to tide himself over. When the credit crunch eased he decided to stay with the regular pay and benefits. He still does a bit but it has to fit round his shifts so he picks and chooses the jobs that he wants basically just to keep up the skill.

The other massive problem is builders are seen as the stereotype and the number of programmes on tv showing poor work over quality work is ridiculous. We also don't get taught enough practical skills to inspire people. The image of success to many people is going to work in a suit not delivering a quality building.

onomatopoeia99

Doozergirl wrote: »

It is absolutely to do with craftmanship not being valued.

There are plenty of us out there that do value it, but the problem is wider than the building trade. Look at music and film, so many people would rather torrent a film rather than buying a DVD, because they don't value the craft of those involved in producing it. It's endemic in society.

I have heard from the other side (admittedly a decade or so ago now, when my friend's stepchildren were at school leaving age and not looking to go to university) that competition for trade apprenticeships is fierce. You will obviously have direct experience - are building firms taking on apprentices? I don't mean Persimmon sized firms, I mean small local ones that do things like extensions.

Furts

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

There are plenty of us out there that do value it,

I have heard from the other side (admittedly a decade or so ago now, when my friend's stepchildren were at school leaving age and not looking to go to university) that competition for trade apprenticeships is fierce. You will obviously have direct experience - are building firms taking on apprentices? I don't mean Persimmon sized firms, I mean small local ones that do things like extensions.

I will give my humble take ...Persimmon sized firm in house building have maintained zero interest in apprenticeships for generations. They have driven down standards, driven down quality, driven down workmanship and driven down apprenticeships. They all, collectively, bear a huge responsibilty for the state the construction industry is now in in terms of poor skill levels, insufficient labour, and lack of respect for the workers and their skills.

Smaller builders doing extensions, jobbing builders, and small sub contractors - think small plumbers and electricians- also have zero interest in apprenticeships. They look at the big companies and think - "if they with all their money and resources cannot be bothered then why should we? We do not have the time and resources, and we are at the bottom of the food chain. Which means even if we wanted to take on apprentices (and some do) it is a difficult concept to implement".


This in turn means most apprentices are regarded as cheap labour and treated accordingly. They receive poor guidance and almost non existant training. The apprentices frequently become peed off, and coupled with H&S Laws, having apprentices on site is a potential legal/supervision nightmare. (Here I was having issues last year!)