Bricklaying Labour Cost Calculator, South Africa

2026 SA Bricklaying Labour Rate Reference

These are 2026 labour-only rates for a plain job in Gauteng, our estimate from published rate guides. Low and high are the two ends of that range. Face brick and scaffold height add nothing on top of that range. They only move the mid estimate, the figure to budget on. It starts halfway up the range for a plain wall. Face brick moves it a quarter of the range higher and so does scaffold height, so face brick at scaffold height sits at the top. That weighting is our own. Always get at least three quotes for any project over R10,000.

Estimated Provincial Figures

Gauteng is the reference, because that is where the published rate guides come from. No published source gives bricklaying labour rates by province, so every figure outside Gauteng is an estimated provincial figure: our own share of the Gauteng rate, applied to the low, mid and high figures alike.

Bricklayer Day Rate and Monthly Salary in South Africa (2026)

A bricklayer's day rate in South Africa is typically R450 to R800 per day for labour only, excluding an assistant, materials or scaffolding hire. This is a local market estimate. As a sourced minimum for comparison, the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry sets a minimum wage for civil works, not house building, so it is not what a contractor quotes for a house. For a Bricklayer Grade 1 (Task Grade 5) it is R70.48 an hour from 1 September 2026 (about R564 for an eight-hour day). Day rates are less reliable for pricing a full job than the per-m² or per-1,000-bricks rates above, since a slow day on a complex wall costs the same day rate as a fast day on a simple one.

As a monthly employee salary rather than a project day-rate quote, a qualified bricklayer in South Africa typically earns approximately R8,110–R16,726 per month, rising with experience. This is broadly consistent with the day-rate figure once converted to a standard working month of roughly 21 to 22 days, and reflects a formal salaried role rather than a per-project labour quote.

What is Included in a Bricklaying Labour Quote?

A labour-only bricklaying quote covers mixing the mortar and laying the bricks to the agreed line, level and plumb. It does not include bricks, cement, sand, foundations, scaffolding hire, lintels over openings or rubble removal unless stated. Boundary walls also need a foundation trench and footing, and usually piers at intervals. These are separate items.

Always confirm in writing whether scaffolding, foundations and openings (lintels) are included, and agree the mortar mix ratio. A 1:4 to 1:5 cement-to-building-sand mix is the SA standard for most walls.

How Many Bricks Can a Bricklayer Lay Per Day?

A bricklayer with one assistant can lay approximately 500–1,000 bricks per day depending on wall type, height and complexity. A single-skin wall uses roughly 33 maxi bricks per m² (about 52 of the smaller stock bricks); a double-skin wall roughly double that. Face brick is slower because every course must be neat. Allow extra time for setting out, corners, piers and openings.

Check a Quote Both Ways: Per m² and Per 1,000 Bricks

A quote per m² of wall and a quote per 1,000 bricks laid can be compared once you know how many bricks go into a square metre. The calculator uses 33 maxi bricks per m² of single-skin wall and 66 for double skin. A maxi brick (290 × 140 × 90 mm) with 10 mm joints covers 300 × 100 mm of wall face, which is 0.03 m², so 1 ÷ 0.03 is about 33. A smaller stock brick (222 × 106 × 73 mm) covers 232 × 83 mm, so a square metre takes about 52. That means 1,000 maxi bricks is about 30 m² of single-skin wall, or about 15 m² of double skin.

To turn a Gauteng m² rate into a per-1,000 figure, multiply by 1,000 and divide by 33. The table shows the working for the single-skin range.

To go the other way, multiply the per-1,000 quote by 33 and divide by 1,000. A quote of R4,500 per 1,000 bricks on a single-skin wall is R4,500 × 33 ÷ 1,000, which is R149/m²: inside the Gauteng range and just under the R160 mid estimate. For a double-skin wall use 66 bricks per m²: the R220 to R380/m² range works out to about R3,350 to R5,750 per 1,000, slightly less per brick than single skin. Double skin costs a little under double per m², so the price per brick comes out slightly lower. Our Brick Material Calculator gives the exact brick count for your wall, so you can convert a quote on the real number rather than an estimate.

A day rate can only be compared once you know the day's output. Work the day rate out per 1,000 bricks laid that day: R450 to R800 for the bricklayer alone (a local market estimate, like the output figure), over the 500 to 1,000 bricks a bricklayer and assistant lay in a day, is about R450 to R1,600 per 1,000 bricks for the bricklayer's day alone, which is not a quote: the assistant's wage, mortar mixing and the contractor's margin sit on top. That is the gap between a bare day rate and a per-1,000 quote. If a quote sits well outside the ranges above once converted, ask what it includes before you compare it.

Evaluating Bricklaying Quotes in South Africa

A labour-only bricklaying quote should clearly state the rate per 1,000 bricks or per m², the brick type being used (maxi, stock, face), the wall specification (single or double skin) and whether the rate includes mortar mixing or assumes a labourer is separately employed for mixing. Many SA contractors quote per 1,000 bricks laid; others quote per m² of wall. Convert one to the other as shown above before comparing them. A per-1,000 rate on maxi bricks covers more wall area than the same rate on stock bricks, because maxi bricks are larger.

Always ask for a NHBRC (National Home Builders Registration Council) number or proof of CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board) registration for any bricklaying contractor working on a habitable structure. Unregistered contractors have no professional accountability, and structural brickwork failures are expensive to remedy. A reputable bricklayer will also be willing to show you completed projects nearby as references. Inspect reference projects after rain if possible. Water staining on face brick, efflorescence along joints or mortar smear on the brick face are all indicators of poor workmanship that is immediately visible in wet conditions. For structural work, also ask whether the contractor has had any NHBRC defect claims against them and check the NHBRC register if you have any doubt.

Mortar Quality Is the Bricklayer's Responsibility

The bricklayer is responsible for the quality of the mortar mix in a labour-only contract where they also mix the mortar. Over-watered mortar is the most common quality problem. It produces stained face brickwork, weak joints and wall movement over time. Specify in your contract that the mortar mix must be 1:4 cement to building sand for standard residential brickwork, that no additional water is to be added after initial mixing and that the joints are to be finished flush or as otherwise agreed. If you are using face brick, also specify that the joints are to be kept clean of mortar smear. Face brick is expensive and mortar staining is very difficult to remove once set.

NHBRC (National Home Builders Registration Council) guidelines require structural brickwork for home builders to comply with SANS 10400-K, which calls for class II mortar (SANS 2001-CM1) and joints of a nominal 10mm. NHBRC-registered contractors are required to build to these standards on all new residential construction. Confirm your contractor’s NHBRC registration number before work begins, as unlicensed work does not carry NHBRC warranty cover. A bricklayer who also mixes the mortar lays fewer bricks in a day than one working with an assistant, and face brick runs slower because of the additional care required for clean joint finishing.