Bricklaying is a skill that can take years of training and experience to acquire. If your building project requires any brickwork, you will probably want to hire a bricklayer.
So, how do you go about choosing the right person for your project?
Recommendations
The first thing to do is look for recommendations from previous clients. Anyone who is satisfied with the quality of the work they have received will be only too happy to recommend their bricklayer to you. If you do not have any family or friends who can help, you could try looking for online reviews, or contacting people in your local area who have recently carried out a project that included bricklaying. When you have a list of suitable candidates, it is worth asking them for client testimonials so you can see how satisfied their customers have been.
Specialities
Although any professional will be able to carry out the work, some bricklayers specialise in different areas. Some tend to work more in commercial environments rather than residential properties, and vice versa. You may also find that if your project is a little more complicated than usual, you will need to hire a more experienced bricklayer. You should discuss your needs with them before hiring, and preferably show them the area in your property where the work is to be done so that they will know exactly what is required.
Qualifications
Look for bricklayers who have completed a full apprenticeship, as well as undergone relevant training for the role. The more experience they have the better, particularly if you are planning something more complicated than just building a straight wall. You should also make sure they have the necessary public liability insurance - it is unlikely that anything will go wrong, but accidents can always happen, and you need to be certain that you will both be covered.
Cost
Your budget will be a factor in choosing a bricklayer, but it should not be the only consideration. Make sure you get full cost estimates from several bricklayers, but don't simply go for the cheapest option unless you are sure that they will do the work to a high enough standard. Also, make sure that they will be using the right materials to keep with the rest of your property.
Choose the right bricklayer, and you will know that the work will be carried out to a high standard.