How to prepare your site for the bricklayers

A bit of preparation before the bricklayers turn up keeps the job moving and keeps the cost honest. Time spent shifting obstacles or waiting on materials is time you end up paying for. None of this is hard, it just helps to have it sorted.

Clear access and a place to work

Bricks and mortar are heavy and they get moved a lot during the day. The easier it is to get a barrow from the materials to the wall, the faster and cheaper the job runs.

• Clear a path from the street or driveway to the work area.
• Move cars, bins, trampolines and anything else in the way.
• Cut back overhanging branches and shrubs near the wall line.
• Keep pets secured and let us know about any difficult dogs.

Materials and where they land

If bricks and sand are being delivered, think about where a heavy pallet can sit without blocking access or sinking into soft lawn. A spot close to the wall but out of the work path is ideal. On a tight Melbourne block this matters more than people expect, because there is often only one way in.

Power, water and the basics

Mixing and cleaning both need water, and most jobs need power for cutting and mixing.

• A working outdoor tap, or a hose run we can use.
• An outdoor power point, or let us know if there is none.
• A reasonably level, firm area for the mixer to sit.

Ground and footings

For a new wall the ground usually needs to be right before we start. That can mean a footing or slab poured and cured, levels set, and the line of the wall clear of services. If you are not sure where pipes and cables run, organise a check before anything is dug. Hitting a service is an expensive surprise for everyone.

Talk through the details first

The small decisions are easier before the first brick than after. Where exactly the wall sits, the height, the brick and the joint finish, and how it meets existing work. If you have a sample brick or a section you want matched, have it ready on the day so there is no guessing.

Get these basics sorted and the job runs smoothly from the first morning. If you are not sure what your site needs, send us a photo of the area and your suburb and we will tell you exactly what to have ready before we arrive.