Bricklayer
Also advertised as: Blocklayer, Brickie, Bricklayer, Construction Bricklayer, Self-employed Bricklayer, Stonemason's Assistant
Builds walls, structures and features from bricks, blocks and mortar.
What the job involves
Bricklayers construct the walls that give a building its shape and strength, working from drawings to set out courses accurately and keep them level and plumb. You mix mortar, lay materials to a consistent pattern and finish joints neatly. Steady hands and an eye for straight lines matter as much as physical stamina.
Typical responsibilities
- Set out and build brick and block walls to specification
- Mix and apply mortar to correct consistency
- Check work for level, plumb and alignment
- Build features such as arches, corners and cavity walls
- Work safely alongside other trades on site
Common employers
- House building companies
- Construction contractors
- Restoration and heritage firms
- Self-employment
- Groundworks contractors
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£22,000 – £27,000 a year
With experience
£30,000 – £42,000 a year
Typical hours
Typically 7am to 4pm on site, weather dependent
Working environment
Outdoor construction sites
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Bricklaying techniques
- Reading construction drawings
- Mortar mixing
- Use of levels and lines
- Health and safety awareness
Transferable skills you may already have
- Manual dexterity
- Attention to detail
- Working outdoors in varied conditions
Requirements employers ask for
- Bricklaying techniques
- Reading construction drawings
- Mortar mixing
- Use of levels and lines
- Health and safety awareness
- Level 2 apprenticeship in bricklaying, or equivalent site experience
- CSCS card
Useful but not essential
- Manual dexterity
- Attention to detail
- Working outdoors in varied conditions
- Level 3 NVQ for supervisory progression
Helpful qualifications
- Level 3 NVQ for supervisory progression
Licences and checks
- CSCS card
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Bricklayer (Level 2)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Design and technology
Where this career can lead
next
Bricklaying Gang Leader
next
Site Supervisor
next
Self-employed Contractor
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Strong self-employment earning potential
- Consistent demand from housebuilding
- No student debt route via apprenticeship
What people find hard
- Physically demanding, outdoor work in all weather
- Wear and tear on joints over a career
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a bricklayer?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a bricklayer earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £22,000 to £27,000 a year, rising towards £42,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Manual dexterity, Attention to detail, Working outdoors in varied conditions.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 16 September 2026.
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