Watch a wall go up brick by brick and you’ll soon see there’s more to bricklaying than stacking blocks. Good bricklaying gives a Solihull home its strength. It also shapes a good chunk of its kerb appeal. Whether you’re patching a crumbling garden wall or planning something bigger, the quality of the bricklaying underneath decides how long the finished job lasts.
We’re often called out once a small crack has turned into a bigger problem. So it helps to understand what solid bricklaying should look like before the first brick goes down, especially if you’re planning a home extension in the near future.
What Good Bricklaying Really Involves
It sounds simple until you try it yourself. Each course needs to sit level. The mortar mix has to suit the weather, and the bricks need to bond in a pattern that actually holds weight. Get any of that wrong, and you end up with bowing walls, damp patches or brickwork that just doesn’t match the rest of the house. A skilled bricklayer also knows how to tie new work into old. That matters hugely once you start extending a property rather than building from scratch.
Because of this, we treat every job with the same care, whether it’s big or small. Consistent joint widths and proper curing time are small details. Yet they’re exactly what separates lasting brickwork from work that needs redoing within a few years.
Bricklaying & Home Extensions: Why It Matters
Most homeowners in Solihull come to us because they’re planning an extension. Bricklaying sits right at the heart of that process. Foundations, load-bearing walls and matching existing brick all rely on skilled hands. If the brickwork is rushed, everything built on top suffers, including your windows, doors and roofline. That’s why we work closely with clients on renovation and alteration projects. We make sure new brickwork blends with what’s already there rather than sticking out like an obvious add-on.
- Single and double storey extensions need brickwork that carries real structural load
- Side return and rear extensions often need matching older, weathered brick
- Garden walls and boundary work benefit from the same attention to detail
Common Bricklaying Jobs & How Long They Take
How long will this take? That’s a question we hear constantly. It really depends on the scope of work. Here’s a rough guide, based on the jobs we handle most often.
- Small repairs or re-pointing: around a day
- Garden or boundary walls: a few days
- Lintel replacement: one to two days
- Larger extensions: several weeks
Weather and access can shift these timings slightly. Even so, this gives you a realistic starting point for planning your project and your budget.
Signs Your Brickwork Needs Attention
Brickwork rarely fails overnight. It tends to show small warning signs first. Keep an eye out for the following:
- Cracks running through mortar joints or bricks themselves
- Damp patches appearing on internal walls near brickwork
- Crumbling or powdery mortar that comes away when touched
- Walls that look like they’re bowing or leaning outward
Spot these early and it usually means a smaller, cheaper fix. Leave them too long, though, and you could face a much bigger repair bill down the line.
Choosing A Bricklayer You Can Trust
Brickwork affects the safety of your home. So it’s worth choosing a team with genuine experience, rather than the cheapest quote you can find. We’re a family-run business. We’ve been working on homes across Solihull since 1987, picking up more than 35 years of hands-on knowledge along the way. Every job we take on is fully insured, giving you peace of mind from the first brick to the last.
We also match new brickwork to your existing property wherever possible. That way, your extension or repair never looks like an afterthought.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you match existing brickwork on an older property? Yes, we source matching bricks and mortar wherever possible, so new bricklaying blends naturally with what’s already there.
Do you handle both small repairs and full extensions? Absolutely. We take on everything from a single cracked wall to complete extension bricklaying, always with the same attention to detail.
Request A FREE Quote From Mid City Builders Today
With over 35 years of family-run experience across Solihull, we’ve built a reputation on honest advice and reliable workmanship. Planning a project? Want it done properly the first time? Get in touch with our team today for a free, no-obligation quote.
