How much does single-storey extension brickwork cost?

What changes the price

Wall area. The length of the new walls and their height set the number of bricks and blocks

Cavity build. Facing bricks outside, blocks inside, insulation and wall ties in between, so every metre is built twice

Brick choice. Matching the existing house closely can mean a more expensive brick or a special order

Openings. Every window and door needs a lintel and a cavity closer, and the brickwork around them takes longer

Foundations and below-ground work. Trench blocks or engineering bricks up to damp-proof course level are part of the brickwork

Access and scaffolding. A wall plate at single-storey height still needs a working platform for the top courses

The brickwork is the shell of your extension: the cavity walls that go up from the foundations to the height where the roof sits. On most single-storey extensions it’s one of the bigger single costs in the build, and it’s the part you’ll look at every day, so it pays to understand what’s in the price.

What drives the price

Wall area comes first. A typical rear extension might have 10 to 15 metres of new wall at about 2.5 metres high, and each metre is built twice: facing brick on the outside, block on the inside, with insulation and wall ties between.

Below ground counts too. From the top of the foundation up to damp-proof course level the walls are built in trench blocks or engineering bricks, and that work is often priced within the brickwork. The foundations themselves, the concrete, are usually a separate item, and the type of foundation your ground needs makes a big difference to the overall build cost, as the video above shows.

Openings add time. Every window and door needs a lintel, a cavity closer and careful brickwork either side, and a bricklayer will price a wall with three openings higher than a plain one. Brick choice matters for the face: a close match to a period house can mean a more expensive brick or a special order.

Access affects the labour. Materials have to get to the back of the house, and the top courses need a platform.

What a good job includes

Walls set out accurately to the drawings, checked square and plumb before the first course
A damp-proof course at the right level, lapped correctly with the existing house
Cavity kept clean of mortar droppings, with insulation fitted properly and wall ties at the right spacing
Lintels bedded correctly over every opening with the right bearing each side
Facing brickwork laid to a line, level and plumb, with the bond and joint colour matching the house as closely as the brick allows
Weep holes and cavity trays where the new roof meets the existing wall
Brickwork toothed or tied into the existing house properly, not just butted against it
Joints pointed evenly and the face brushed clean

How to get an accurate quote

Post the drawings if you have them, plus photos of the back of the house, the existing brick close up and the access down the side. Say whether foundations are already in, and whether you want the bricklayer to quote the brickwork only or you’re looking for a builder to run the whole job. That gets you honest starting prices. The final price comes after a site visit, when they’ve measured, seen the ground and checked how the new walls meet the old.

These are guide figures, not a promise for your extension. Post the job and get real quotes from local bricklayers whose work is rated by other bricklayers.

Common questions

Does this price include the whole extension?

No. This is the brickwork only, meaning the masonry walls from the foundation up to wall plate level. Foundations, roof, windows, plastering, electrics, plumbing and finishing are separate trades with separate costs. A general builder will usually quote the whole build and subcontract the brickwork within it.

Can the bricks match my house exactly?

Often closely, rarely exactly. Bricks weather, and the original brick may not be made any more. A good bricklayer will suggest the nearest current match or a reclaimed brick, and will lay a sample panel so you can see it against the house before committing.

How long does the brickwork take?

For a typical single-storey rear extension, the brickwork from damp-proof course to wall plate is usually one to three weeks for a bricklayer and labourer, depending on size and the number of openings. Below-ground work and waiting for foundations to be inspected add to that.