External walls
- Cavity brick and brick veneer
- Double-brick and feature walls
- Face brick and rendered block
- Piers, pilasters and returns
ASMM / ANZSMM · Brickwork & Blockwork
Brickwork & Blockwork Estimating
Face brick, concrete block and stone takeoffs measured in m² and per 1,000 units, in 24 to 48 hours
Brickwork is measured by area but priced by the brick, the course and the day. Mixed wall types, feature bonds, piers, control joints and scaffold hire all sit outside a simple m² rate, and that is where tenders go wrong.
We measure every external and internal masonry wall by type, deduct openings to the rule in the documents, and return the brick and block counts, mortar, ties, reinforcement and scaffold needed, so you can price with confidence or send quantities straight to your brick supplier.
m² by wall typeCavity, single-skin and veneer
Per 1,000Bricks and blocks counted, not guessed
AS 3700Masonry structures
Postcode-pricedBrick prices differ by state and supplier
Deliverables
What You Actually Receive
| Deliverable | Format | Detail level |
|---|---|---|
| Wall areas by type | Excel, m² | Cavity, double brick, veneer, block and retaining walls separated |
| Brick and block counts | Excel, per 1,000 | By size, colour and bond, with wastage shown |
| Mortar and grout | Excel, m³ / bags | Based on joint thickness and core-fill requirements |
| Ties, DPC and flashings | Excel, m / No. | Wall ties, damp-proof course, weep holes and cavity trays |
| Lintels and reinforcement | Excel, m / kg | Steel lintels, bond beams and vertical reinforcement |
| Scaffold | Excel, m² | Scaffold area and hire duration |
| Priced estimate | Excel + PDF | Supply and lay with GST shown separately |
Australian Framework
How This Work Fits Into the Australian Standards
Every estimate is structured to the trade sections used for tendering and to the elements used for early cost plans, so one set of quantities serves both.
| Trade section (ASMM / ANZSMM) | Element (NPWC / AIQS) |
|---|---|
| Brickwork & Blockwork / Masonry | 06 EW External Walls |
| Brickwork & Blockwork / Masonry | 09 NW Internal Walls |
Scope Coverage
Brickwork and Blockwork We Measure
From footings to the last course, measured in metric.
Internal walls
- Concrete block walls and bracing walls
- Core-filled and reinforced blockwork
- Fire-rated masonry walls
- Brickwork for lift shafts and stair cores
Detailing
- Arches, soldier courses and corbels
- Control and articulation joints
- Lintels, sills and copings
- Weep holes, DPC and flashings
Stone & retaining
- Natural and manufactured stone veneer
- Retaining walls and fences built in masonry
- Garden and feature walls
- Mailboxes and letterbox piers
Site & access
- Scaffold and edge protection
- Material hoisting and cartage
- Cutting and wastage allowances
- Cleaning down and sealing
Our Process
Start a Project →
How We Prepare Your Estimate
Five steps from your drawings to a brickwork and blockwork number you can defend in a scope review.
-
01
Scope review
An estimator reads the architectural elevations, wall types, structural drawings and the brickwork specification before touching a takeoff tool, and lists every assumption, exclusion and missing item as a query for you to confirm. Nothing is priced on a guess.
-
02
Digital measurement
Quantities are measured digitally in Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift or On-Screen Takeoff, in metric: square metres of wall by type, bricks and blocks per 1,000, and lineal metres of lintels, DPC and control joints. Each measurement sits on a named layer, so the marked-up PDF you receive is a visual audit trail.
-
03
Pricing
We price the quantities using current Australian supplier quotes, subcontract rates and published benchmarks such as Rawlinsons, adjusted for your postcode and state. If you give us your own rates or a preferred supplier schedule, we use those.
-
04
Senior QA review
Before anything is sent, a second estimator compares the takeoff with the drawings and verifies the measuring rules, deductions, wastage allowances and productivity assumptions.
-
05
Delivery
Excel and PDF files reach your inbox within one to two days for standard jobs. One round of changes is included, and we remain available for tender queries and scope questions after the tender.
Tooling
Software We Work In
You do not have to hold a licence for these tools. We do the measuring with them and hand over the results.
Bluebeam Revu
Measuring, marking and comparing drawings on screen.
PlanSwift
Takeoffs made from ready-built assemblies, with quantities you can export.
On-Screen Takeoff
Layer-based measuring on big commercial drawing sets.
Rawlinsons-benchmarked rates
Up-to-date Australian unit rates, compared with supplier and subcontractor quotes.
Microsoft Excel
The final file, set out to match your cost codes and trade sections.
If you use Buildsoft, CostX, Estimate One, Procore or your own template, let us know and we will prepare the file so it imports straight in.
Turnaround & Pricing
Cost and Delivery Time
We quote a fee for each project before starting, in AUD excluding GST. We never bill by the hour, and you are never charged more than the quote.
Small / residential scope
24 hoursHouses and small extensions.
Typical fee A$350 to A$850
Mid-size commercial
24 to 48 hoursTownhouses, retail and low-rise commercial.
Typical fee A$850 to A$1,800
Large / complex
48 to 72 hoursMulti-storey and heavy masonry packages.
Typical fee A$1,800 to A$3,600
Monthly takeoff package
OngoingA set number of estimates every month, with your jobs placed first in the queue.
Flat monthly rate from A$2,200/mo
Cost vs. Capacity
Why Builders Hand Brickwork & Blockwork Estimating to Us
A full-time estimator is a salary, super, software seats and training. A brickwork and blockwork takeoff from us is a per-project cost that only appears when you are actually tendering.
- No software licences. Takeoff and cost-data subscriptions cost thousands of dollars per user each year. With us, you use ours.
- Tender more, more selectively. Most builders do not lose jobs through bad pricing. They lose them because they run out of time to reach enough tenders before closing.
- Site time stays site time. Items get overlooked when estimating at 9pm after a long day on site.
- Independent accuracy check. Even builders with in-house estimators use us to sanity-check large or unfamiliar brickwork and blockwork scopes before they submit.
- Moves up and down with how busy you are. Five takeoffs in a busy month and none in a slow one. You never carry a fixed cost.
Who We Work With
Made for Anyone Pricing Masonry
Bricklaying subcontractors
Tender-ready takeoffs including laying rates.
Builders
Budget checks and comparing subcontract prices.
Volume home builders
Per-plan brickwork packages.
Brick and block suppliers
Count confirmation for quoting.
Architects
Cost feedback on wall types.
Quantity surveyors
External wall element costs.
Sample Output
Sample Line Items
Every estimate has this much detail: quantities tied to elements and measured in metric, never lump sums.
| Item | Unit | Qty | Material | Labour | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face brick veneer, 230 x 110 x 76 | m² | 412.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Face bricks, supply (incl. 5% wastage) | per 1,000 | 30.9 | $ | $ | $ |
| Concrete block 190 mm, core-filled | m² | 118.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| N12 vertical bars inside blockwork | m | 640 | $ | $ | $ |
| Steel lintels | m | 86.0 | $ | $ | $ |
| Wall ties, brick veneer | No. | 3,300 | $ | $ | $ |
| Scaffold, 12 weeks | m² | 480.0 | $ | $ | $ |
These example items show only the layout and units. They do not come from a client project.
FAQ
Common Questions
How do you measure brickwork?
By wall area in square metres per wall type, with openings deducted to the rule in the documents. We also count bricks per 1,000 including a stated wastage so suppliers can quote.
Can you price from the drawings only?
Yes. Where the brick type is not specified we show an allowance and list it as a query.
Can you split supply and laying?
Yes, supply and lay are priced as separate lines.
Do you include scaffold?
Yes, as a separate line by area and hire period, or excluded if you supply your own.
What about brick veneer versus double brick?
Each wall type is measured and priced separately, since labour, ties, DPC and structure differ.
Do you work to AS 3700 for masonry?
Specified reinforcement, bond beams and durability requirements are measured as shown in the structural drawings.
What does it cost?
A fee is quoted per project in AUD excluding GST before work starts. There is no hourly billing.
How fast is turnaround?
Standard scopes ship in 24 to 48 hours.
Ready to Get Started?
Ready for Your Next Brickwork & Blockwork Tender?
Send your drawings along with a short note on what the job covers. A fee and delivery date come back the same working day, and the finished estimate follows within one to two days of your approval.