Division 04 · Brick Masonry
Brick wall estimating from the elevation count to the last weep hole
A brick estimate is a count that has to survive bond patterns, openings, corners and cuts. Our estimators measure wall area from the elevations, deduct windows and doors, apply units per square foot for the brick size and joint, then add soldier courses, rowlocks, headers and special shapes. Mortar, ties, flashing, weeps, relief angles and cleaning follow from the wall section, so the price covers the entire veneer assembly.
Scope of takeoff
Brick wall quantities in the takeoff
Measured elevation by elevation so that every pattern, shape and accessory carries its own count.
Field brick
Modular, queen, king, utility and engineer brick in running bond or stack bond
Net wall area times units per SF, plus waste
Soldier and rowlock courses
Soldier courses at heads and sills, rowlocks, headers and corbeling
Elevation and detail drawings
Special shapes and pavers
Bullnose, radial, sill, cap and paver units, with custom sizes
Detail callouts and shape schedule
Mortar and color
Type N or S mortar by bag, colored and matched to the brick
Joint volume per 1,000 units
Wall ties and anchors
Adjustable ties, seismic clips and anchors at specified spacing
Wall area divided by tie coverage
Flashing and weeps
Through-wall flashing, end dams, weep vents and mortar nets
Section details at base, heads and shelf angles
Lintels and relief angles
Loose steel lintels, shelf angles and brick supports at floor lines
Opening schedule and structural drawings
Control and expansion joints
Vertical clay masonry joints with backer rod and sealant
Elevation joint layout
Cavity insulation and air barrier
Rigid insulation, fluid-applied barrier and cavity fill behind the brick
Wall assembly specification
Cleaning and efflorescence control
Pressure wash, proprietary cleaner and breathable water repellent
Finish schedule and warranty terms
Scaffold and access
Frame scaffold, mast climbers, debris netting and hoisting
Building height and duration
Bricklayer and tender hours
Hours by wall height, openings, patterns and weather protection
Productivity per 1,000 brick
Overview
How a brick wall is turned into a count
A running-bond veneer in modular brick needs about 6.75 units per square foot of wall at a three-eighths-inch joint. That number is only the starting point. Stack bond, basketweave and Flemish patterns use more cuts, soldier courses and rowlocks replace the standard unit with a different shape, and every corner, jamb and sill adds waste. Brick are priced per thousand, so we convert everything to units and then to M.
The cavity wall around the brick drives the rest of the takeoff. Mortar is calculated from joint volume, with bags rounded by mix type and color. Ties are counted at the specified spacing, usually 16 inches on center vertically and 24 horizontally. Flashing, weep vents, mortar nets, relief angles and sealant at control joints follow the building section.
Finally the labor plan: bricklayer and tender hours by wall height and detail density, scaffold and mast climbers, pressure washing, acid-free cleaning, water repellent and the efflorescence control your specification asks for after completion.
What type of brick wall estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
Full brick wall estimate
±4–6%48 hours
Brick by thousand, mortar, ties, flashing, lintels, scaffold and labor for each elevation and wall type, from construction documents.
Best for: Masonry subcontractor bids
Brick count only
24 hours
Net and gross brick counts by size, color and pattern with waste, ready to send to brickyards for allowance quotes.
Best for: Suppliers and brick allowances
Residential brick veneer package
±6%24 hours
Single-family and townhome brick including soffit returns, chimneys, columns and sills, from architectural elevations.
Best for: Home builders and bricklayers
Brick restoration pricing
±8%48 hours
Repointing, replaced units, cleaning and sealing of existing brick, measured by area, lineal joint and unit counts.
Best for: Historic and repair work
Pattern and alternate comparison
±6%24–48 hours
Price differences between running bond, stack bond, and alternate brick sizes or colors, to support design decisions.
Best for: Architects and owners
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 1
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
- 2
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
- 3
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
- 4
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- 01
Brick counts derived by size, joint and bond pattern, rather than a single factor applied to every elevation.
- 02
Waste applied separately for field, cuts at corners, soldier courses and special shapes, so numbers match real orders.
- 03
Ties, flashing, weeps and relief angles counted, from wall sections instead of added as a percentage of brick cost.
- 04
Mortar bags calculated from joint volume and color, with the mix type the specification requires.
- 05
Efflorescence control, cleaning and water repellent priced on the same takeoff, with the sequencing they need.
- 06
Scaffold and mast-climber time set against, the actual building height and the bricklayer production rate.
- 07
Elevation-by-elevation workbooks so you can, adjust a single facade without re-running the whole bid.
- 08
Estimators who read brick and masonry details, daily and flag missing control joints and relief angles early.
Deliverables
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheet
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Project types
Project types we estimate
The same measured-twice standard applies whether the scope is a tenant improvement or a ground-up campus.
01Brick veneer on schools and universities
02Medical office and clinic facades
03Single-family and townhome brick
04Multifamily podium and garden buildings
05Retail storefront and bank buildings
06Boundary and screen walls
07Chimneys, columns and entry pylons
08Historic brick restoration and repointing
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“Duct takeoff by gauge and size, equipment schedules, hangers, insulation. They understand sheet metal. Turnaround was 36 hours on a 90,000 square foot clinic.”
Tom Beaulieu
President, Beaulieu Mechanical · Minneapolis, MN
“Having a design-development estimate before we finished CDs let us value-engineer the envelope while it still mattered. Clear, fast, and the estimators speak our language.”
Aisha Bello
Principal, Bello Architecture Studio · Atlanta, GA
“Cubic yards, rebar tonnage, formwork contact area and block counts by size. Exactly how I think about a job. We have won four of the last five bids they priced.”
Jamal Reed
Owner, Reed Concrete & Masonry · Birmingham, AL
FAQ
Brick Wall Estimating FAQs
How many bricks are needed per square foot of wall?
A modular brick of 3-5/8 by 2-1/4 by 7-5/8 inches laid with a three-eighths-inch joint takes about 6.75 bricks per square foot of wall. We carry five to ten percent waste on top of that, more for stack bond, soldier courses and walls with numerous corners and openings.
Do you price brick per thousand or per square foot?
Both. Brick suppliers quote per thousand, while mason contractors usually price installed work per square foot or per thousand laid. The workbook shows the count, the M quantity and the per-square-foot result so you can check any supplier or labor quote against it.
Do you include weep holes and flashing?
Yes. We count weep vents at the specified spacing, usually 24 inches on center at flashing locations, and measure through-wall flashing with end dams at bases, heads and shelf angles. These details are the most common source of moisture claims on brick veneer, so they carry their own lines.
Can you handle soldier courses, rowlocks and decorative bands?
Yes. Soldier courses, rowlock sills, header courses, corbels and belt bands are measured from the elevations in lineal feet, and each is converted to a brick count using the shape and orientation. Their labor is priced above standard running bond since the production rate is lower.
How do you account for efflorescence and cleaning?
We include pressure washing, specified cleaning agents and water repellent by square foot, plus protection of windows and adjacent surfaces. We also flag mortar and material choices that reduce efflorescence, such as low-alkali cement and covering stockpiled brick, so field crews know what the specification expects.
What is the turnaround on a brick wall estimate?
Most houses and small commercial buildings are completed within 24 to 48 hours. Large facades with multiple brick colors, patterns and heavy detailing require more time, and we confirm the delivery date once we have reviewed the elevations and wall sections.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a brick wall estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.