Brickie on a residential job: scope, licensing, tolerances, working with other trades

TL;DR

The brickie lays the face brickwork, blockwork, and masonry on a residential job: brick veneer cladding, blockwork retaining walls, and feature brickwork. AS 4773.2:2015 (Masonry in small buildings, construction) is the deemed-to-satisfy standard for Class 1 and Class 10 residential work; AS 3700:2018 (Masonry structures) is the engineering backbone for anything outside AS 4773’s scope. Licensing varies by state: NSW requires a contractor licence for work over $5,000, QLD QBCC has a bricklaying and blocklaying trade licence, VIC requires registration under the Building and Plumbing Commission. Face brickwork typically runs at a day rate or per-thousand bricks depending on the job; quote clarity on brick gauge, mortar mix, and wall ties is the difference between a clean run and a variation nightmare. Top job-killer on a brickwork package is programme clash with the frame inspection and window installation: frame must be signed off and windows in before face brickie can complete the tie-in.

What this trade covers

The brickie on a residential job works across three broad categories.

Face brick veneer cladding: the most common residential application. The chippy frames the timber or steel stud structure; the brickie skins the outside face with clay or concrete masonry units tied back to the frame using wall ties. The cavity between frame and brickwork carries insulation batts, moisture barrier, and weep holes for drainage.

Blockwork: concrete masonry units (CMU) used for boundary fences, retaining walls, garden walls, subfloor walls, and structural masonry in small outbuildings. Blockwork can be reinforced (grouted cores with bar) for retaining applications under AS 3700 or the structural engineer’s design.

Feature brickwork: internal feature walls, fireplace surrounds, garden edges, letterboxes, columns.

What’s in scope (typical residential)

Face brick veneer cladding to external walls per AS 4773.2:2015
Wall tie installation at spacings per AS 4773.2 (or engineer’s details where different)
Mortar bedding and perpend joints to specified brick gauge
Weep holes at base course and above openings
Lintels over openings (steel or precast as specified)
Damp-proof course (DPC) installation or coordination with other trades
Sills and arches as per architectural drawings
Blockwork for retaining walls, fences, subfloor, and structural masonry
Feature brickwork, fireplaces, chimneys

What’s out of scope (often confused)

Mortar colour matching on repairs: specialist trade or the original brickie. New mortar match is never exact.
Flashing and membranes: cavity flashing at DPC level is often brickie-supplied and installed, but the waterproofing membrane behind it (over window and door heads, at sills) is often the builder’s supply or a waterproofing trade. Confirm in the scope of works.
Window and door frames: the brickie builds up to and around them, but installation is usually chippy scope. Sequence matters: windows must be in before brickwork can close around them.
External render and texture coatings: rendered masonry or texture-coat finish over block is a separate wet-trade (usually a plasterer or specialist renderer). The brickie lays; the renderer coats.
Structural design for reinforced masonry retaining walls: engineering design is engineer scope under AS 3700:2018. The brickie constructs to the engineer’s details.
Paving: segmental paving (pavers, bluestone) is often a separate paver or landscaper.

The scope of works should specify supply of lintels, DPC, cavity closers, wall ties, and mortar admixtures. Most variations on brickie packages originate at these supply boundary lines.

Engagement basics

Licensing, state-by-state

State	Scheme	Key rule
NSW	NSW Fair Trading contractor licence	Required for bricklaying work valued over $5,000 in labour and materials (including GST). Qualification: CPC33020 Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying (or equivalent). Penalties: $22,000 individual / $110,000 company under the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) (verified 2026-05-07).
VIC	Building and Plumbing Commission (formerly VBA)	Registration required for residential bricklaying. Applicants must hold CPC33020 or equivalent and demonstrate at least 2 years practical experience. Threshold: work over $10,000 for owner-builder notifications; contractor registration has no dollar floor for commercial engagement. Verify current thresholds with the Building and Plumbing Commission (verified 2026-05-07; VBA transitioned to Building and Plumbing Commission July 2025).
QLD	QBCC bricklaying and blocklaying trade licence	QBCC bricklaying and blocklaying licence required for residential work. Includes masonry steps, segmental paving, glass blocks, and window/door frame installation within the brickie scope. Managerial qualification (BSBESB402) required for contractor licence. Fit-and-proper person test applies (verified 2026-05-07).
WA, SA, TAS, NT, ACT	Each state has its own scheme	Verify current licence class, insurance requirements, and threshold with the state regulator before quoting.

Penalties for unlicensed bricklaying are real. In NSW specifically, the Home Building Act 1989 applies to any residential building work; the $5,000 threshold covers labour and materials combined (verified 2026-05-07).

Apprenticeship pathway

Bricklayers typically complete a CPC33020 Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying (the current qualification, previously CPC30620 which has been superseded) through a TAFE or registered training organisation (RTO), usually via a 3 to 4 year apprenticeship combining on-the-tools work with block-release study (verified 2026-05-07).

Insurance the brickie should carry

Public Liability: typical floor $5m for sole-trader residential, $10m when working under a head contractor
Workers Compensation: required for any employees or apprentices
Tool and plant insurance: not contractually required but standard for sole traders with significant plant (mixer, scaffold)

Current Certificates of Currency for PL and Workers Comp should be sighted before any work starts. The brickie holds them; the engaging party (usually the builder, sometimes the client direct) confirms them.

Pricing basis

Bricklaying is commonly priced two ways:

Per-thousand bricks (rate/k): common for straightforward face brick veneer where the scope is well-defined. Rate varies with brick type, bonding pattern, window-to-wall ratio, and brick size. Confirm whether the rate covers standard clay 230 x 110 x 76mm bricks or an alternate size.
Day rate: suits complex work (arches, chimneys, ornamental features, low volume high-detail jobs, renovation).

Avoid agreeing to a per-k rate without confirming which brick size, what mortar profile is expected, what access is required, and whether scaffold is in or out of the rate.

Tolerances and acceptance

Bricklaying is judged at PCI against the contract spec, AS 4773.2:2015 (for Class 1 and Class 10 residential masonry), AS 3700:2018 (for engineered masonry), and the HIA Guide to Materials and Workmanship plus the relevant state Guide to Standards and Tolerances.

Standards baseline (AS 4773 and AS 3700)

AS 4773.2:2015 sets out construction requirements for masonry in small buildings (Class 1 and Class 10a under the NCC), including mortar mix requirements, wall tie types and spacings, lintel bearing lengths, and weep hole positions (verified 2026-05-07).

AS 3700:2018 is the engineering standard for masonry structures, referenced by NCC Volume Two as the deemed-to-satisfy solution for masonry outside the AS 4773 geometric limits (verified 2026-05-07).

Workmanship tolerances (HIA Guide pending)

Numerical limits for mortar joints, gauge, and wall plumb are set by the HIA Guide and the relevant state Guide. Values are pending HIA member access.

Item	Guide coverage
Mortar joint width consistency	Per current HIA Guide to Materials and Workmanship and state Guide. Pending HIA member access. [HIA-023]
Brick gauge (courses per height run)	Per HIA Guide and state Guide. Pending HIA member access. [HIA-024]
Wall plumb and alignment	Per HIA Guide and state Guide. Pending HIA member access. [HIA-025]

What can be assessed independently

Weep holes: AS 4773.2 specifies they must be present at the base course and above openings. Blockage with mortar (snots dropped into the cavity) is the most common failure and is visual.
Lintels: bearing length and type are specified in AS 4773.2 and engineer’s details. A lintel with inadequate bearing is a structural defect.
Wall ties: spacings and types per AS 4773.2 Table 7.1. Cannot be inspected post-completion, so the frame inspection is the time to check tie spacings before brickwork proceeds.

Common defects to look for

What inspectors and clients flag at PCI and final inspection:

Snots in the cavity: dropped mortar blocking weep holes or bridging the DPC. Prevents cavity drainage, promotes rising damp. Checked at base course before laying proceeds.
Inconsistent mortar joints: varying joint width across a wall face reads poorly. Especially visible in raking light on feature walls.
Weep holes missing or blocked: every third or fourth perpend at base course and above openings should be open. Staining on brickwork below sills is the long-term symptom.
Cracked perpends: typically from differential movement, frame shrinkage, or mortar too dry at laying. May be DLP defects if structural; cosmetic if hairline.
Wall tie rattling or wrong type: wall ties must match the cavity dimension and span; wrong ties or too few are a structural defect that can’t be seen after completion.
Brickwork to window frame gap or sealant missing: the joint between brickwork and window frame needs a flexible sealant, not mortar. Cracked mortar at frames is a common PCI call.
Overhanging arches and sills: poor gauge management leading to non-standard arch geometry or sills with inconsistent overhang.

Most weep hole and cavity issues are caught (and fixed) during the lay, not at PCI. The cost of reinstatement post-completion is high: core drilling, cavity wash-out, or in worst cases, partial demolition.

Subbie quote pack, what should be in it

A complete brickie quote pack covers:

Scope: which masonry elements are in (veneer, blockwork, feature), which are explicitly out; supply boundaries for lintels, DPC, wall ties, mortar admixtures, scaffold
Brick and bond pattern: confirm brick size (standard 230 x 110 x 76mm clay or nominated alternate), bond pattern (stretcher, stack, Flemish), and mortar colour/profile
Pricing basis: rate per thousand bricks (with nominated brick size) or day rate; variation rate stated for unscoped work
Scaffold: who supplies and erects; brickie often requires scaffold as a safety obligation; confirm who charges for lifts
Programme commitment: days for each phase (veneer, blockwork, feature), programme dependencies (frame inspection complete, windows in, DPC supplied)
Licence and insurance: contractor licence number, Certificates of Currency for PL and Workers Comp
Site obligations: cavity inspection access before proceeding, mortar waste disposal, WHS obligations including SWMS for any scaffold or elevated work
Variation mechanism: how extras are priced; day rate for unscoped work; written authorisation required

The same list reads from different sides:

For the engaging party (builder or client direct): use this list as the quote template. Require all items before signing.
For the brickie quoting: providing all of these without being asked wins jobs and reduces disputes.
For the client reviewing a builder’s engagement: this is the bar the builder should be applying.

References

AS 3700:2018 Masonry structures (Standards Australia) (verified 2026-05-07)
AS 4773.1:2015 Masonry in small buildings, Part 1: Design (Standards Australia) (verified 2026-05-07)
AS 4773.2:2015 Masonry in small buildings, Part 2: Construction (Standards Australia) (verified 2026-05-07)
NSW Government: Bricklaying work licensing (verified 2026-05-07)
QBCC: Bricklaying and blocklaying licence (verified 2026-05-07)
Building and Plumbing Commission (VIC): Building practitioner registration (verified 2026-05-07; VBA transitioned to Building and Plumbing Commission July 2025)
CPC33020 Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying (training.gov.au) (verified 2026-05-07)
HIA Guide to Materials and Workmanship, pending member access for numerical workmanship tolerances
NCC 2022 Volume Two for Class 1 and Class 10 buildings, ABCB (verified 2026-05-07)