How much do bricklayers earn?
Average salary for UK bricklayers
Qualified and experienced bricklayers can expect to earn an excellent salary. Even newly qualified bricklayers earn more than many other professions.
At Checkatrade, we compiled this comparison table to give you an accurate and realistic view of the earning potential of a bricklayer at different stages of their career.
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Estimated business costs* | Approximate take home pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £6.30 | £50.40 | £11.062.80 | £0.00 | £10,714.94 |
| Newly qualified | £18.19 | £145.52 | £31,941.64 | £0.00 | £25,214.00 |
| Employed | £19.28 | £154.24 | £40,102.40 | £0.00 | £30,763.31 |
| Sole trader | £38.00 | £304.00 | £56,051.52 | -£7,006.44 | £37,588.73* |
| Business owner (Ltd company) | £38.53 | £308.24 | £56,833.29 | -£9,945.83 | £37,508.29* |
| *includes estimated business expenses such as vehicle, fuel, tools and insurance. You should always consult an accountant. | |||||
A bricklayer’s annual salary begins at around £11.062.80 for an apprentice bricklayer. This can rise to an excellent £56,833.29 for the owner of a Limited Company.
How much does an experienced bricklayer earn?
Bricklayers are very well-paid tradespeople. Newly qualified bricklayers can expect to earn around £31,941.64 per year. This can increase to £40,102.40 as you gain more experience.
The amount of money a bricklayer can earn will also depend on other factors than experience. Location will play a large part of a bricklayer’s earning potential, as will the type of work you carry out e.g., new-builds, commercial projects, or home extensions.
How much can a self-employed bricklayer earn?
The first thing you want to find out when you’re planning to set up your own bricklaying business is how much you can earn.
If you’re running your own bricklaying business as a sole trader, you can expect to earn in the region of £56,051.52 per year.
If you decide to set up your own bricklaying limited company then annual earnings could be closer to £56,833.29.
Bricklaying business costs and expenses
Whether you decide to set up your bricklaying business as a sole trader or a limited company, you’ll need to understand how much costs and expenses you’ll spend.
We’ve make general estimates to give you an idea of how much money you can expect to take home once any deductions have been made.
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Estimated business costs* | Approximate take home pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £6.30 | £50.40 | £11.062.80 | £0.00 | £10,714.94 |
| Newly qualified | £18.19 | £145.52 | £31,941.64 | £0.00 | £25,214.00 |
| Employed | £19.28 | £154.24 | £40,102.40 | £0.00 | £30,763.31 |
| Sole trader | £38.00 | £304.00 | £56,051.52 | -£7,006.44 | £37,588.73* |
| Business owner (Ltd company) | £38.53 | £308.24 | £56,833.29 | -£9,945.83 | £37,508.29* |
| *includes estimated business expenses such as vehicle, fuel, tools and insurance. You should always consult an accountant. | |||||
What is the average hourly rate for a bricklayer?
If you’re planning to hire bricklayers to work for your business, you’ll want to know the average hourly rate expectation.
Rates will vary depending on experience and location. On average, you can expect to pay:
- Apprentice – £6.30 per hour
- Newly qualified – £18.19 per hour
- Employed – £19.28 per hour
- Sole trader – £38.00 per hour
- Business owner (Ltd company) – £38.53 per hour
Get your business in front of customers
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About joining usHow much is the average bricklayer day rate?
Bricklayers may work on large-scale construction projects. They may also work on residential property extension projects.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to know the daily pay rate for bricklayers to ensure that you are competitive.
- Apprentice – £50.40 per day
- Newly qualified – £145.52 per day
- Employed – £154.24 per day
- Sole trader – £304.00 per day
- Business owner (Limited company) – £308.24 per day
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Growing your bricklaying business with Checkatrade
Whatever stage your bricklaying business is at, becoming a Checkatrade member will help it to thrive and grow.
Boost your leads
Make sure that your customers can find you online. Checkatrade members receive more than 100,000 leads each week. 3 million homeowners used our trades last year. A third of all trade work comes through Checkatrade**.
Build your reputation
Pass our 12 checks and become a fully endorsed Checkatrade member. 8 out of 10 people would choose a trade endorsed by Checkatrade compared to one that isn’t endorsed***.
Access exclusive deals
Make excellent savings on your business expenses. Save on tools, vehicles, insurance and more. We’ve partnered with selected brands to offer our members discounts and deals, saving them on average £470 per year each***.
Get your business in front of customers
Checkatrade-approved bricklayers appeared in 424,000 searches last year. Make sure you get found this year!
About joining usFAQs
How much do bricklayers get paid per brick?
Bricklayers charge anywhere between £650 – £1,790 per 1,000 bricks. This is for common machine-made bricks for private customers.
At Checkatrade, we recently compiled a bricklaying cost guide for 2023. Have a read of this article to find out more detailed information about the costs of bricklaying today.
How difficult is bricklaying?
Bricklaying is a skilled trade. It takes around two years to become proficient in bricklaying and it is not a skill that is usually done as a DIY project.
Bricklaying requires a combination of strength and accuracy. Bricklayers must be strong and fit as bricklaying is a physically demanding trade. They must also be good at taking accurate measurements and ensuring that all bricks are laid evenly and courses are identical.
Where do bricklayers get paid the most?
Bricklayers in London and southeast England can expect to get paid the most in the UK. In other areas of the country, earning potential will depend on the company you work for and the type of projects you’re involved in.
How many bricks can a bricklayer lay in a day?
When working in good conditions on a fully accessible site, a competent bricklayer can lay around 500 bricks per day.
Difficult working conditions and complex structures will reduce this amount while some bricklayers who work very quickly may slightly increase the rate.
*Estimate costs for vehicle, fuel, tools, and insurance
**Checkatrade brand tracking survey April 2021
***Claims are sourced from a survey conducted by Deep Blue Thinking on a nationally representative UK sample in November 2021.
****Year runs from April 21’ to March 22’. Saving calculation based on average spend across 12,505 members in 2020/2021/2022. Discounts differ depending on the partner. Products range from low value items to high value items. Some exclusions will apply on products.
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