Key Post bricklaying/blocklaying

S

sueellen

Guest
My neighbour would like to raise the height of the wall at the back of their garden. The back of their garden is adjoining our garden so she asked if we would be interested in going halves on it. She recieved a quote of 1,400 Euro so that would be 700 each. I thought this seemed quite expensive so I enquired at a builders suppliers what the materials would cost, - 125 concrete blocks, cement, sand, a trowel and a board for mixing the cement on, and it came to just over 200 including vat. So now I'm thinking maybe I will try and build the wall myself.
Problem is I have never built anything in my life!
So what I'm wondering is how hard is it to do? Maybe I am being naive but it doesn't look very difficult. I am in no hurry to get the job done so if I laid 25 blocks a day one day a week I could get it done in 6 weeks. A friend of mine told me a professional brick layer could probably get it done in a day or two.
Anyone out there have any advice??
 
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Over the last couple of years, I've done a great deal of heavy building work, none of which I've ever done before.

Building a block wall will take an incredable amount of muscle power - you will ache for a few days! Professional builders will get someone else to mix the cement and do most of the carrying. A professional and helper would get this done in a day, and it'll not be crooked, or collapse.

Things to consider if you decide to do it yourself:
Mixing cement looks easy - it is very hard work. Bags of cement come in two sizes. Get the small bags!

How high is the wall going to get? - will you need to build in support pillars?

It all depends on how fit and adventurous you are. I would say go for it :D !
 
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don't know much (being honest - anything) about this.

Just wondered, why should he get the small bags?

Could he get the big bags (don't know what size "big" actually is), and then just shovel out of this what is required at any one time?

I would presume big bags would work out cheaper than small bags.

Again, I stress I don't know anything about this subject, so there you go.............
 
Re: .

Er, surely he'll want to mix mortar (6:1:1 mix of sand:cement:lime) rather than concrete - unless you mean for the foundation? I helped my late father (who was a bricklayer by trade) build walls in the past and have to say that there is more skill/expertise/knack to it than meets the eye!
 
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I suggested small bags because they are much easier to handle than large ones. They do work out a bit more expensive, but I think it's worth it (having used both sizes).

Clubman - the original poster did say that they just wanted to increase the height of the wall. I suppose a mass-concrete solution might be an idea. Build a mould to the required height and pour in concrete.
 
Brickytool

No connection with the item, but "brickytool" under 80 euro is available in B+Q. I was impressed with a demonstration on the Late Late Show last year. I will be getting one myself when the need arises.

I think there is a demo vid with it.
 
Bricklaying - should I try it myself?

Bricklayers charge approx €1.50 per block laid and general labor will cost the same for small job like your`s.Add your materials (believe it or not all blocks are not the same price) ‚€200 plus someone to oversee it /clean up /make sure its straight and hopefully give some guarantee and your talking €750 or thereabouts.
 
blocklaying

Go for it!
Myself & my partner did lots of things like this during our house-build. Having spent many years in Germany where everybody wants to 'do-it-yourself' I've never ceased to be amazed at how reticent we are back in Ireland and easily led into the "job is only for the expert" type of thinking.
If you give it a go and it works out, you have something to be proud of - if it doesn't a few hundred quid won't break the bank!! Get a decent pair of steel-capped boots, gloves, a builders trestle (hire from someone like Chadwicks) and a few fine days.
Much better than hours of bicep curls and hamstring bends - for which the gym will charge the 700 euro anyhow !!
Good luck
Laoise
 
Re: blocklaying

if it doesn't a few hundred quid won't break the bank!!

And hopefully the wall won't fall and break somebody's neck!
 
Re: blocklaying

Interesting stuff.

I'm thinking of raising the height of the wall in the back garden between ourselves and next door by the height of two blocks. Would I need to raise the pillars by the same amount? At the moment they're a block lower than the top of the wall.

Thanks,
Rory
 
Blocklaying

Rory

Hire a cement mixer...make sure the top of the wall is stable and not easily knocked over. You don't want to be responsible for injuring some kid...check your public liability insurance...

Slim
 
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Thanks everybody for the replies. Glad to see others have tried/are trying similiar projects.
Question for Rufus - what is a brickytool? I think I heard of it before. Apparently makes the job a lot easier and quicker. How exactly does it work, do you know?
 
Late Late Show

I didn't see the late late show but I am curious to know if they picked a person from the audience to try the Bricky thing out or was it somebody who already had lots of practice?

A lot of these things are made to look easy by demonstrating the simple bits.

How good is it for working around lintels, corners, Quinstones, cavity insulation etc. etc.? Outside my house the wall curves around to the gates, I'd love to know how they would get around that. Also can it build piers?

How do you start the first course of blocks?
 
cement / mortar mixing

As said above its hardwork

You can probably buy a tub of ready to use mortar instead - again ask at a Chadwicks


eDog
 
ah shure it's child's-play......!

I'm always really interested in D.I.Y'ers discussions on why they're going to do a bodge-job instead of paying a professional. It's a bit like saying you've seen Christian Barnard do a heart-transplant on t.v. and it's so easy you're thinking of trying it on a relative with a heart-condition.

First of all I think the questioner hits the nail on the head (excuse the pun!) when he says a professional estimates 1 day at most 2 for the wall whilst he will do it over several weeks a few blocks at a time. Building is EXTREMELY HARD PHYSICAL WORK and if you are not very fit you are likely to need emergency hospital treatment for rupture, stuff falling on you, slipping a disc, etc.

The OTHER crucial point raised in one of the responses is that you need more than just yourself, blocks and mortar. You will need "the tools of the trade".......and you can add another few hundred euros onto the cost of essential materials.

.......and after all that it will look crap and amateurish and as other posters have pointed out, may be unstable and dangerous to yourself or others. Bricklaying is very skilled work.
 
Re: ah shure it's child's-play......!

Marie,

Of course you are right but the other side of the same coin looks to me a bit like this :

- Hard to get a good bricklayer to do a small job - will the guy that offers to do it be no good ?

- Lord knows what a mess he may leave behind ( some brickies like you to think that they are not house trained )

- If its going to be a bad job there is a certain satisfaction in screwing it up yourself ( rather than paying someone else to screw it up )


eDog
 
Re: >>Bricklaying

Some other posts

Mollie
Registered User
Stone mason building costs?

I saw a discussion on this site recently regarding the prices blocklayers usually charge around the country and I was wondering if anybody knew the average price for a stonemason?

Thank you

niallquinnspants
Registered User
Stone mason

I got a quote for 65 Euro per sq yard in Mayo, good rate

sueellen
Moderator
Re: Stone mason building costs?

This may be relevant/of interest:

www.iaosb.com/

Mollie
Registered User
Stone mason building costs?

Thanks for all your replies, all very useful.

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Stone mason building costs?

"I got a quote for 65 Euro per sq yard in Mayo, good rate"

If the workmanship is good, then that's a very good rate!
 
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