Price Guide: Masonry Work and Bricklaying

Masonry and bricklaying are more than a skill, they are a craft. When it comes to the requirements for working with concrete and brick, you’ll need to work with a person who has specific training. These materials are especially difficult to manipulate, and thus, it’s almost always best to work with a professional.  Of course, working with a mason or bricklayer will leave you with lifelong structures and pieces, adding to the individuality and resale value of your home.

Are you looking for more information about prices regarding masonry and bricklaying? Of course, each project will be different and thus, requires a specific type of process and work from the part of the masonry contractor. In turn, prices may vary considerably. If you’re already planning to carry out masonry renovations and have no desire to look back, then we’ve got you covered.  Below, you’ll find a price guide that’ll offer a better idea of what you’re in for!

Here's our price Guide for Masonry Work and Bricklaying!

Prices for masonry renovation projects

First, let’s cover general hourly wages for masonry in a few of the Canadian provinces.

In Quebec and according to the Construction Association of Quebec (ACQ), a bricklayer charges approximately $85 per hour for masonry work. This amount is based on an hourly wage rate of $37.72, adding contributions, benefits, vacation as well as insurance. In addition, do bear in mind that there will likely be equipment rental costs such as trucks and tools as well as a 20% profit margin for administrative costs and profit margin.

In the province of Ontario, the hourly base rate for a bricklayer is $33 per hour. This is because the base hourly rate for a mason comes in at $36.35 an hour. Taking other factors into account, including those mentioned above such as social benefits, vacation and insurance, the total cost for a mason is $76.49 an hour. Again, with equipment and overhead included the wage is approximately $99/h.

In the province of Nova Scotia, the hourly rate for a bricklayer is $25 an hour in comparison with a base rate for a mason, which comes in at $24 hour. In the province of Alberta, the hourly rate for a bricklayer is $38.30 an hour whereas the base rate for a mason is $32 an hour.

Most prices really come down to Province minimum wages and cost of living, and this, are mostly relational. When it comes to specialized projects or particularly difficult work, prices could also vary greatly from those listed above. It’s best to be upfront about contractor pricing structure, but having a little bit of an understanding of averages won’t hurt anyone.

If you’re looking for more information on specific projects that will definitely require a mason, check out our article on the subject!

Factors that cause the price of masonry work to vary

Price brackets for common masonry jobs will be detailed in the next part of the article but before we get into that,  we’re going to go over a few factors that could have an impact on pricing. We got in contact with a number of masonry and bricklaying entrepreneurs and they helped to remind us that for this type of work, prices may vary from one extreme to another.

One of the first considerations is the height at which the bricklayers will have to work, this will need to be taken into account when calculating the price. The general rule among these entrepreneurs is that the higher the work happens, the more expensive it will be. This is because special equipment will be needed. Take scaffolding into consideration, working at these heights are quite dangerous and thus, the prices will go up!

On top of this, working at heights will add more time to the duration of the job, as workers will have to travel up and down with materials while also taking frequent breaks to make sure they’re in tip-top shape to work at such heights. Further, the location where the contract is being completed will have a major impact on the price.

If the bricklayers have to work near the street, they’ll charge more. This is especially if they have to work near a busy street corner as this involves a constant verification of worker safety. Another major factor in this type of renovation project is the materials. The type of brick being used can greatly affect the total price. For example, large bricks are harder to handle so they could turn out to be more expensive than smaller bricks.

Lastly, other factors such as the type of mortar used, obstacles, anchorages, the shape of the walls, any surrounding windows, job that requires working on or near the roof may also lead to the work being more complicated. Again, this will be reflected in the price.

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Prices to fix a bulging brick wall

For bulging brick walls, the size and span of the damaged area will definitely affect the price. If the damage has managed to spread out across the entire wall, the bricklayers will have to work slowly and diligently in order to keep things under control and avoid destroying anything major.

In general, bulging brick wall repairs or renovations run about $30 to $48 per square foot.

Prices to rebrick a wall

When we're talking about rebricking a wall, prices will vary depending on the scale of the work as well as the type of brick being used. Most of the time, prices for this type of project tend to stay within the bracket of $24 to $48 per square foot. 

For a simple rebricking project, and this consists of a wall with no obstacles, no windows and a basic insulation system, the price should run somewhere between $24 and $36 per square foot.

Price to fix and redo masonry grout

If your home's brick siding is in poor condition or the joint mortar has disappeared or is crumbling in different places, then you"ll have no choice but to call upon the services of a bricklayer. They'll fix the brickwork to prevent possible water infiltration or accelerated deterioration of the siding that can easily cause collapse. For a durable repair, this work needs to be carried out by an expert under appropriate conditions.

Like many of the others listed, the price of this service will also be affected by most of the factors that have been aforementioned. The type of joint will also influence the final amount to be paid.

In general, masonry grout contracts cost about $14 to $20 per square foot.

Summary table for prices of masonry and bricklaying projects

To find out about the average prices of different home renovation projects, check out our Home renovation price guide.