Cost Guide

How much does bricklaying cost in Canberra?

By The WTD Editorial Team · Last verified October 2026 · Methodology

Updated October 2026 · Independently researched · 14 min read

Most bricklaying in Canberra costs $1,100–$2,425/1,000 bricks

or $50–$130/hr for labour

Standard bricklaying in Canberra costs $50–$130/hr or $1,100–$2,425 per 1,000 bricks (labour). A brick boundary wall runs $61–$130 per square metre. A brick extension or garage is typically quoted on brickwork area – a single garage (40–60 sqm of brickwork depending on single-skin or double-brick) runs about $2,440–$7,800 at the standard per-sqm rate.

+4.4% Bricklaying costs in Canberra are up around 4.4% over the past year, re-verified against 90+ sources in October 2026. Year on year

Average Bricklaying Cost in Canberra

$82

per hour for standard residential work

Bricklaying (per 1,000 bricks, labour)

$1,100–$2,425/1000 bricks

Bricklaying (per sqm, standard)

$61–$130/sqm

Garden feature wall

$155–$495/sqm

Budget $50/hrAverage $82/hrPremium $130/hr

Many Canberra searchers arrive wanting the labour cost of each brick. Laying rates here run $1,100–$2,425 for every thousand bricks, typically $1,750, and that is labour alone: bricks, sand and cement are bought on top. Smaller jobs are charged by time at $50–$130 an hour, and a plain wall by area at $61–$130 a square metre. Separate houses make up only 63.2% of ACT dwellings, below the 72.3% national share (ABS 2021 Census), so some local jobs sit on compact townhouse and unit blocks, where getting pallets and a mixer near the wall takes more planning.

Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Bricklaying cost in Australia.

Quick answerBricklaying in Canberra costs $50–$130 /hr, with most averaging $82 /hr. GST included — verified October 2026. Get free Canberra quotes →

Detailed Pricing — Bricklaying Cost in Canberra 2026

Service	Low	Typical	High
Bricklaying (hourly rate)	$50/hr	$82	$130
Bricklaying (per 1,000 bricks, labour)	$1,100/1000 bricks	$1,750	$2,425
Bricklaying (per sqm, standard)	$61/sqm	$88	$130
Garden feature wall, installed (per sqm)	$155/sqm	$285	$495
Brick retaining wall, installed (per sqm)	$275/sqm	$495	$715
Brick veneer (new home, per sqm)	$55/sqm	$77	$110
Brick pointing / repointing (per sqm)	$44/sqm	$77	$165
Brick repair (per brick)	$28per brick	$72	$155
Brick letterbox (supply & lay)	$440total	$880	$1,650
Brick BBQ or simple fireplace (built, installed)	$2,200total	$3,850	$7,150
Damp-proof course, whole-house retrofit	$1,100total	$3,850	$6,600
Full-day bricklaying	$495per day	$715	$990
Damp-proof course injection (per metre)	$77/m	$120	$275

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Prices verified October 2026 · Cross-referenced against 90+ Australian trade pricing sources · See methodology

Prices include GST. Based on Canberra metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.

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What Affects Bricklaying Costs in Canberra

What one brick costs to lay

Divide the thousand-brick rate and labour comes to between a little over a dollar and about two and a half dollars for each brick laid. That figure only becomes a price with a brick count, so ask the builder or draftsperson for one from the drawings. For a repair or a wall nobody can count in advance, a day at $495–$990 or the square-metre rate is simpler to verify.

Boundary walls and ACT approvals

An ACT fence or freestanding wall is exempt from building approval when it isn't part of a pool enclosure and stays within 1.8 m of the ground. No development application is needed up to 2.3 m, as long as no part sits between the front boundary and the building line; street-facing fences are generally not allowed in standard residential areas. A brick letterbox at the front is $440–$1,650.

Retaining walls on a slope

A brick retaining wall, built with its footing and drainage, costs $275–$715 a square metre, more at every point of the band than any other per-square-metre item here. The ACT exempts one from building approval up to 1.2 m tall, or 1.5 m where it meets the exempt building code. A decorative garden feature wall is $155–$495.

Frost and fresh mortar

Canberra Airport averages a July low of -0.1 °C, with June and August nights at 1.0 °C (BOM averages). Mortar that freezes before it sets is weakened, so winter crews start later, finish earlier and cover new courses overnight. Fewer laying hours a day stretch a job billed at $50–$130, while December to February, with tops above 26 °C, is the easier window.

Garages, extensions and the paperwork

Bricklaying is not a licensed trade on its own in the ACT, but any job needing building approval, which takes in most garages and extensions, must have a licensed builder. ACT contracts for houses or work over $12,000 cannot hand the builder the power to choose or remove your building certifier. Most single items here, even a barbecue at $7,150, stay under that line.

Repointing, repairs and damp

Replacing one cracked brick costs $28–$155, and raking out and refilling worn joints $44–$165 a square metre. On older brick, matching the mortar colour can take a few test batches, so ask to see a sample patch first. Rising damp is treated with an injected damp-proof course at $77–$275 a metre, or $1,100–$6,600 for a whole house.

Scaffolding and tight blocks

A wall taller than a bricklayer can safely work on from the ground has to have scaffolding or other fall protection under workplace safety law, policed here by WorkSafe ACT, and hire is usually its own line. Semi-detached homes make up 17.2% of the ACT's housing (ABS 2021 Census); on those narrow blocks, ask where pallets will be dropped, as barrowing every brick down a side path adds hours.

How to Save Money on Bricklaying Cost in Canberra

Ask each bricklayer for the thousand-brick rate together with the brick count from your plans, then multiply before you compare quotes.

Keep a brick boundary wall at 1.8 m or lower and behind the building line, and in the ACT it generally needs neither a building approval nor a development application.

For winter brickwork, ask how the crew will protect fresh mortar on nights near freezing and whether short days change the quote.

On a garage or extension, confirm the builder holds an ACT licence and that the contract leaves the choice of certifier with you.

Ask for a mortar sample beside the existing wall before a repair or extension goes up.

October and November are Canberra's wettest months (BOM averages), so allow for rain days in spring and keep stacked bricks under cover.

Frequently Asked Questions — Bricklaying Cost in Canberra

How much does a bricklayer cost in Canberra?

Our Canberra table puts standard bricklaying at $61–$130 a square metre, laying labour per 1,000 bricks at $1,100–$2,425 and the hourly rate at $50–$130 an hour.

How much do bricklayers charge per 1,000 bricks in Canberra?

Going by our Canberra table, expect $1,100–$2,425 for laying labour per 1,000 bricks; the typical price is $1,750.

What is the brick wall cost per m2 in Canberra?

In our Canberra table the figures are $61–$130 a square metre for standard bricklaying (typically $88), $155–$495 a square metre for a garden feature wall (typically $285) and $275–$715 a square metre for a brick retaining wall (typically $495).

How much is a bricklayer per day in Canberra?

In our Canberra table, a full day of bricklaying runs $495–$990 a day, and $715 is typical.

Do I need council approval for a brick wall in Canberra?

In the ACT a fence or freestanding wall needs no building approval up to 1.8m high, and no development application up to 2.3m as long as no part of it is between the front boundary and the building line. Fences facing the street are generally not allowed in standard residential areas.

What do bricklayers charge an hour in Canberra?

The hourly rate in our Canberra table is $50–$130; $82 is the typical figure.

Our Methodology

These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →