Brickwork is built to last decades, which is exactly why mistakes are expensive. A wall that leans, cracks or lets water in usually has to come down and be rebuilt, not patched. Knowing how to hire a bricklayer comes down to a few questions asked before work starts: what exactly is being built, does it carry a load or hold back soil, what goes underneath it, what mortar is right for the bricks, and who is responsible for permits and the neighbour.
This guide is for homeowners in the United States and the United Kingdom. It covers the kinds of jobs a bricklayer or mason does, when an engineer or a permit is needed, mortar on older buildings, weather, what drives the cost, what a written quote should list and how to pay safely. Where the rules differ between the two countries, there are separate notes.
What a bricklayer does, and where the job ends
A bricklayer, often called a mason in the US, lays brick, concrete block and stone with mortar. Typical jobs include:
- Garden and boundary walls: low walls along a path, a patio or the edge of the property.
- Retaining walls: walls that hold back soil where the ground changes level.
- Repointing (UK) or tuckpointing (US): raking out worn mortar joints and refilling them.
- Repairs: replacing cracked or crumbling bricks, rebuilding a damaged section, patching under render or plaster.
- Chimneys and fireplaces: rebuilding a chimney stack or relining a brick fireplace.
- Inside the house: bricking up an old doorway or window, or building a new partition in block.
The line to watch is structure. A garden wall a couple of courses high is a simple job. A wall that carries the floor above, holds back a bank of earth or forms part of an extension is a structural element, and its size, foundation and reinforcement should come from a structural engineer, not from a quick look on site.
Load-bearing and retaining walls need a design, not a guess: if you are removing or building a wall that carries weight, or a wall that holds back soil, ask a structural engineer first. In the UK, new structural walls, extensions and removing load-bearing walls need Building Regulations approval through building control, and sometimes planning permission; check with your local council. In the US, building permits are commonly required for structural walls, for retaining walls above a certain height and for additions, and the rules vary by city and county; check with your local building department.
Mortar, old brick and the weather
Mortar is not a detail. On houses built before modern cement became common, many walls were laid in soft lime mortar. That softer joint lets the wall breathe and gives a little as the building moves. Filling those joints with a hard cement mortar can trap moisture in the brick, and over the years the faces of the bricks can crack and flake away while the joints stay intact. A bricklayer who works on older homes should be able to explain which mortar they will use and why.
On any wall, ask how they will match the colour and the joint profile of the existing brickwork. A repair in the wrong colour or with a different joint shape stands out for as long as the wall stands.
Weather also matters. Fresh mortar needs time to cure and should not freeze or be washed out by heavy rain before it has set. A careful bricklayer will plan around frost and storms and cover new work when needed. A short delay for the weather is better than a wall built in the wrong conditions.
Posting a job on Hirovo is free. Say what you need built or repaired, the rough length and height, the material, whether an old wall has to come down and how easy it is to reach the site. Add photos if you can. Bricklayers nearby can apply or message you in the app. You compare them and decide.
Post a free job →Bricklayer cost: what drives the price
A number you find online cannot price your wall, whether it is quoted per day, per brick or per square metre or foot. Two walls of the same length can be very different jobs. These are the items that move the price:
| Item | Why it matters | What raises the price |
|---|---|---|
| Size of the wall | More area means more bricks, mortar and labour. | Long runs, tall walls, two-skin or thick walls. |
| Material | Brick, block and stone are laid at different speeds. | Natural stone, reclaimed or special bricks, matching old brick. |
| Who buys the materials | Some quotes are labour only, others include supply. | Supply and delivery included, small or awkward deliveries. |
| Foundation or footing | A new wall needs a solid base under it. | Digging, concrete, poor ground, a retaining wall. |
| Height and scaffolding | Work above a safe reach needs access equipment. | Chimneys, upper walls, scaffold hire and set-up. |
| Demolition and rubble | An old wall has to come down and be taken away. | Hand demolition, skip or dumpster, waste removal. |
| Access to the site | Materials and rubble are carried in and out. | Back gardens with no side access, steps, tight spaces. |
| Finish and pattern | The visible face takes more care than a hidden one. | Decorative bonds, exact colour matching, fine joints. |
The fairest comparison comes from giving every bricklayer the same description: what is being built or repaired, approximate size, material, whether old work comes down, and the access. Ask two or three of them for a written quote and compare the lines, not just the total. A quote that is much lower than the others often leaves something out, such as the footing, scaffolding or rubble removal.
How to hire a bricklayer: the quote and the questions
A clear written quote protects both sides. It should list:
- What will be built or repaired, with measurements or a sketch.
- Labour, itemised separately from materials.
- Who supplies the bricks, blocks, stone, sand and mortar, and what type.
- The foundation or footing, if one is needed.
- Scaffolding or other access equipment.
- Demolition, rubble removal and how waste will be taken away.
- A start date and an expected finish date, with a note on weather delays.
- A payment schedule linked to stages of the work.
- What guarantee is given on the workmanship.
Avoid paying a large sum up front. A reasonable schedule links each payment to a visible stage, for example when the footing is done, when the wall reaches full height and when the joints are finished and the site is clear. If materials have to be ordered, it is common to pay for them when they are delivered to your site.
Then ask a few direct questions:
- Can I see walls you have built, in person if possible, not only in photos?
- What mortar will you use, and how will you match the existing brickwork?
- Does this wall need a footing, an engineer or a permit, and who will arrange it?
- Can I see proof of your liability insurance?
- What happens if the weather turns during the job?
Seeing finished work in person tells you more than any review. Look at whether the courses run straight, whether the joints are even and full, and whether the wall still looks right a few years on.
UK: under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill. If the work is on or near a wall you share with a neighbour, check whether the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, since it can require you to give your neighbour notice before certain work. US: contractor licensing rules vary by state, and sometimes by city, so check the state or local license lookup for where you live.
Boundary walls and your neighbour
A wall on or near the property line affects two homes. Before the bricklayer starts, agree with your neighbour in writing where the wall will stand, how high it will be, who pays and who maintains it later. Confirm where the line actually runs rather than relying on an old fence. A short written agreement now avoids a much harder conversation once the wall is built.
Checking the finished wall
Before the final payment, walk along the wall with the bricklayer. Check that it is straight and upright, that the courses are level, and that the joints are full, even and the agreed colour. Look for mortar smears on the face of the bricks and make sure the site has been cleared of rubble. For a retaining wall, ask how water behind it will drain away. Write down anything that needs fixing and agree a date for it.
Using a free Hirovo job post
Posting a job on Hirovo is free. Describe the wall or repair, choose your area, and bricklayers nearby can apply or message you. Hirovo is a global platform and the number of bricklayers registered in the US and UK is still small, so replies may take time or may not come at all; use it alongside other ways of finding local trades. Hirovo does not verify identity, insurance or reviews, and it is not an employer, agent or party to the work, so run the checks above on anyone who responds.
In short
Start by being clear about the job: a garden wall, a repair, repointing, or something structural. Load-bearing and retaining walls need an engineer and often approval or a permit, so check with your local council or building department first. On older buildings, ask about the mortar before anything is mixed. Get two or three written quotes for the same job, with labour, materials, footing, scaffolding and rubble listed separately. Agree boundary walls with your neighbour in writing, check insurance, pay in stages as the work progresses, and inspect the finished wall before you pay the final amount.