Problem 1: Per thousand or day rate — Margin swings either way. Inconsistent pricing methods mean margin varies job to job, and weather-lost days aren't properly accounted for in either approach.

 

Problem 2: The Weather Doesn't Care About Your Deadline. Lost days don't disappear, they get pushed onto the next job, tightening every deadline that follows - a knock-on effect that needs pricing in, not just absorbed.

 

Problem 3: Main Contractors Will Squeeze You If You Let Them. Programme pressure to move faster for the same money is common on bigger jobs — the alternative to accepting it is knowing your numbers well enough to push back.

 

Problem 4: Training an Apprentice Takes Years, Not Weeks.  A bad apprentice slows a crew down rather than speeding it up — proper training takes real time and a proper process, same as I had to learn myself.

 

Joe's Take: This is my own trade before it was anything else, and I know exactly what it is to graft hard and still not see it in the bank account — fixing that is what got me from laying blocks to where I am now.

 

FAQ 1 Q: How much should a bricklayer charge per thousand bricks in Ireland? A: Enough to account for weather risk and site conditions, not just the laying time itself.

 

FAQ 2 Q: How do I price weather delays into a bricklaying job? A: Build contingency into your quoted timeline and communicate it clearly before the job starts, not after a delay happens.

 

FAQ 3 Q: How do I stop main contractors squeezing my price on bigger jobs? A: Know your real numbers well enough to hold firm — vague pricing is the easiest thing for a contractor to push against.

 

FAQ 4 Q: How long does it really take to train a good apprentice bricklayer? A: Longer than most expect — treat it as a real investment with a proper plan, not informal on-the-job hoping.

​

If you would like to book a call with our office to see if there's anything we can do to help you out, book a call using the button below