In 2026, bricks are priced and quoted per 1,000 (written as “per mil” in the trade). Supply-only costs range from around £300 per 1,000 for basic commons to over £900 for premium handmade facings. Once you add bricklaying labour — which is typically quoted as a day rate per bricklayer or a price per 1,000 bricks laid — the total installed cost sits between £900 and £1,800 per 1,000 bricks for most residential projects.
The type of brick, the bond pattern, and whether work involves intricate details such as arches, reveals, or soldier courses all affect how quickly a bricklayer can work and, therefore, the overall cost per 1,000 bricks installed.
Brick Types and Supply Costs
There are three main categories of brick used in UK residential and light commercial construction. Each has a different performance profile, appearance, and price band.
Common bricks (also called commons or flettons) are not intended to be seen. They are used for internal blockwork, below-ground work where they will be rendered or clad, and structural cores hidden behind other finishes. Because appearance is not critical, they are the cheapest option.
Facing bricks are manufactured or hand-made to a decorative standard and left exposed. They come in a wide range of colours, textures, and sizes. Prices vary considerably: a standard machine-made facing brick from a mainstream UK supplier costs around £400–£600 per 1,000; a reclaimed brick or a handmade brick from a small producer can reach £700–£900 or more.
Engineering bricks are dense, low-absorption bricks used where strength and moisture resistance matter — DPC courses, manholes, retaining walls, sills, and below-ground work. Class A engineering bricks have higher compressive strength and lower water absorption than Class B.
| Brick Type | Typical Supply Cost per 1,000 (2026) | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Commons / flettons | £300 – £500 | Internal blockwork, hidden structure, render backgrounds |
| Standard machine-made facings | £400 – £600 | External walls, extensions, garden walls |
| Premium / handmade facings | £600 – £900 | Feature walls, heritage match, exposed gable ends |
| Reclaimed facings | £500 – £850 | Period property matching, character builds |
| Engineering bricks (Class B) | £500 – £750 | DPC courses, sills, retaining walls |
| Engineering bricks (Class A) | £650 – £950 | Below-ground, high-load applications |
Prices above are supply-only, ex-works or delivered to site. Delivery charges vary: a full pallet load (typically 400–500 bricks) within 50 miles of the supplier may be included or cost £40–£80 extra. Smaller quantities almost always carry a surcharge.
What Drives the Price of Bricks
Several factors move the price per 1,000 significantly:
Format and size. Standard UK bricks measure 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm (the “standard format”). Modular, metric, or continental-format bricks command a premium. Handmade bricks with intentional variation in size and texture are priced as a speciality product.
Colour and clay source. The colour of a brick comes from its clay body and firing conditions. Bricks that replicate specific regional clay colours — Staffordshire blue, London stock, yellow Suffolk — are often produced in smaller batches, raising the cost.
Class and compressive strength. Engineering bricks are fired longer and at higher temperatures, increasing fuel and kiln time. This is reflected in price.
Order quantity. Buying full packs or full lorry loads (typically 7,000–9,000 bricks) attracts better pricing than small quantities. Merchants often quote a lower price per 1,000 when volume is confirmed.
Market timing. Brick prices tracked upward through 2022–2024 and have stabilised in 2025–2026, but supply of certain facing bricks can still be constrained if the relevant clay pit or kiln has reduced output.
Bricklaying Labour Costs
Bricklayers in the UK are generally paid a day rate or quote a price per 1,000 bricks laid. In 2026, day rates range from £200–£280 per day for a qualified bricklayer outside London, rising to £250–£350 in London and the South East.
When priced per 1,000, bricklaying rates typically run:
| Work Type | Labour Cost per 1,000 Bricks Laid |
|---|---|
| Standard stretcher bond (straight runs) | £400 – £550 |
| English or Flemish bond | £480 – £650 |
| Feature or decorative brickwork | £600 – £900 |
| Complex detailing (arches, corbels, reveals) | £700 – £1,100 |
| Repointing (not laying) | Quoted separately per m² |
Output — the number of bricks a bricklayer lays in a day — varies by task and site conditions. A bricklayer in good conditions on a straightforward wall can lay 400–600 bricks per day. Complex detailing, cold weather, or scaffolding constraints reduce output significantly, which increases the effective cost per 1,000 bricks.
Bricklayers typically work alongside a labourer who mixes mortar, brings materials to hand, and keeps the work moving. Labourer rates run £150–£220 per day. On most residential jobs the ratio is one labourer per one or two bricklayers.
Total Installed Cost Per 1,000 Bricks
The installed cost combines material supply, mortar, and labour. Mortar materials (sand and cement or a pre-mixed product) typically add £30–£60 per 1,000 bricks.
| Scenario | Materials per 1,000 | Labour per 1,000 | Mortar | Total Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common bricks, straight wall | £400 | £450 | £40 | ~£890 |
| Standard facings, stretcher bond | £500 | £500 | £45 | ~£1,045 |
| Premium facings, Flemish bond | £750 | £600 | £50 | ~£1,400 |
| Engineering bricks, DPC course | £650 | £500 | £45 | ~£1,195 |
| Reclaimed facings, complex detailing | £700 | £800 | £50 | ~£1,550 |
These figures assume a fair-sized residential job (enough work to justify full-time attendance). Small one-off jobs — a garden wall, a single pier — typically carry a minimum call-out or day rate that pushes the effective per-1,000 cost higher.
Worked Example: Single-Storey Extension Side Wall
A typical single-storey rear extension side wall, 5 m long × 2.4 m high in facing brick (stretcher bond):
- Wall area: 12 m²
- Bricks required: approximately 60 per m² in standard stretcher bond, so 720 bricks
- Rounded up to nearest pack: 1,000 bricks (sensible to order a full pack and allow for cuts and waste — typically 5–10%)
- Supply cost (standard facing brick): £500
- Bricklaying labour (1,000 bricks, stretcher bond): £500
- Labourer (half day assumed): £90
- Mortar materials: £45
- Total: approximately £1,135 for this wall element
This does not include scaffolding (if required), cavity insulation, wall ties, lintels, or any finishing. Those are separate cost lines.
Building Regulations Considerations
Brick walls in new construction or extensions must comply with Building Regulations Part A (structure) and Part L (energy efficiency). Cavity walls must achieve minimum U-values: for extensions, the limiting U-value for walls is currently 0.18 W/m²K under Part L (England). A standard brick-and-block cavity wall with full-fill mineral wool insulation can typically achieve 0.18–0.21 W/m²K; achieving better performance requires a wider cavity or higher-specification insulation boards.
Below-ground brickwork must use engineering bricks or equivalent dense concrete blocks, and mortar should be specified to a minimum strength class appropriate to the exposure condition — typically Designation (i) or M12 in aggressive ground or below DPC.
Tips for Getting the Best Price
Order bricks early and in full-pack quantities. Merchants price better when they can book a full load with a known brick manufacturer. If you are matching an existing property, take a sample brick to a specialist supplier — reclaimed brick yards, in particular, can often source a reasonable match if given enough lead time. Always budget for 5–10% waste on top of your calculated quantity, more if the bond is complex or there are a lot of cut angles.
Avoid ordering two small quantities at different times from the same batch — brick colour can vary between firings, and a visible difference in shade on the finished wall is difficult to resolve without rebuilding.
