Brickwork Contractor East Midlands | West Midlands | Vanguard Masonry

Appointing a bricklaying subcontractor is not simply a matter of comparing rates per square metre. The right brickwork subcontractor must be able to interpret the drawings, resource the work, coordinate with other trades, maintain consistent workmanship and provide reliable information throughout the package.

A low tender can become expensive if it leads to labour shortages, delayed elevations, rework, material disputes or extended preliminaries. This checklist sets out the main points principal contractors, construction managers and quantity surveyors should review before appointing a masonry subcontractor.

1. Define the brickwork package before inviting tenders

The quality of the tender comparison will depend on the quality of the information issued. A subcontractor cannot price consistently if the package scope is unclear.

Your tender information should normally identify:

• General arrangement drawings, sections and relevant details
• Brick, block, stone and mortar specifications
• Bonding patterns, feature brickwork and special units
• Cavity construction, insulation, wall ties, cavity trays and damp-proof courses
• Openings, lintels, movement joints, copings and sills
• Scaffolding arrangements and access requirements
• Site logistics, storage areas and material-handling arrangements
• Required start dates, sequencing and completion milestones
• Cleaning, protection, waste removal and making good requirements
• Inspection, testing, quality assurance and handover requirements

State clearly whether the package is labour-only or supply-and-fix. Also identify any items that sit outside the subcontractor’s responsibility. Ambiguity at tender stage often becomes a variation, delay or responsibility dispute later.

Ask every tenderer to return a schedule of inclusions, exclusions, qualifications and assumptions. This makes it easier to compare like with like rather than selecting a price that appears low because important work has been omitted.

2. Decide whether labour-only or supply-and-fix is appropriate

The procurement model affects both price and risk.

With a labour-only arrangement, the principal contractor or developer generally retains responsibility for procuring and coordinating materials. Confirm who will provide:

• Bricks, blocks and special units
• Mortar or silo arrangements
• Wall ties, cavity trays and ancillary components
• Small tools and consumables
• Protection materials
• Waste removal and cleaning equipment

With a supply-and-fix package, the subcontractor may take responsibility for sourcing materials as well as providing labour. In that case, check:

• The proposed manufacturers and product references
• Lead times for facing bricks, specials and stone
• Responsibility for material approvals and samples
• Storage and protection requirements
• The treatment of damaged, rejected or surplus materials
• Price fluctuation and material availability provisions
• Responsibility for shortages or late deliveries

Neither model is automatically better. The important point is that the allocation of responsibility is written into the subcontract and reflected in the tender return.

3. Test capacity, gang structure and supervision

A bricklaying subcontractor may have an impressive portfolio but still lack the capacity to resource your project when required. Ask for a realistic mobilisation plan rather than a general assurance that labour will be available.

Your review should cover:

• Number of bricklayers and labourers proposed
• Experience of the intended gang or gangs
• Use of directly employed, self-employed or agency labour
• Named supervisors and their availability on site
• Current workload and competing project commitments
• Contingency arrangements for absence or fluctuating demand
• Ability to increase or reduce resources without disrupting quality
• Communication arrangements with your site team

Do not assess gang size in isolation from the workface. The appropriate resource depends on the building type, number of elevations, access, crane or hoist availability, material-handling arrangements, detailing and the readiness of preceding trades.

Ask the tenderer to explain how output will be monitored and reported. A credible programme should show how the proposed gang structure relates to the actual work sequence, not just state a headline production figure.

4. Check programme commitments and interfaces

Brickwork is closely linked to groundworks, concrete frames, insulation, windows, roofing, scaffolding and follow-on trades. A subcontractor who cannot maintain the agreed sequence can affect several activities beyond its own package.

Before appointment, discuss:

• Planned start and completion dates
• Elevation-by-elevation sequencing
• Pre-start requirements and access dates
• Readiness of slabs, foundations and structural openings
• Scaffolding and edge-protection interfaces
• Coordination with window, roofing and insulation installations
• Material delivery routes and storage constraints
• Weather contingency and winter working arrangements
• Progress reporting and recovery procedures

Programme commitments should be measurable and achievable. If the tender relies on extended hours, additional gangs or unusually high output, those assumptions should be identified and priced rather than left implicit.

The principal contractor remains responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating the construction phase under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. This includes checking that appointed contractors have the skills, knowledge, experience and organisational capability to carry out their work safely.

5. Examine quality assurance, not just finished photographs

Photographs can demonstrate the type of work a brickwork subcontractor has undertaken, but they do not show how quality is controlled day to day.

Ask the subcontractor to explain its process for:

• Setting out and checking coursing
• Agreeing a sample or reference panel
• Controlling brick, mortar and joint appearance
• Checking levels, line, plumb and gauge
• Protecting unfinished masonry from rain, frost and contamination
• Keeping cavities and associated components clear
• Recording inspections and non-conformances
• Managing snagging and remedial work
• Providing records for handover

For NHBC-registered homes, the relevant edition of the NHBC Standards should be identified at project level and used alongside the design, specification and manufacturer instructions. NHBC requirements are not a substitute for the project design or statutory requirements, and the applicable standard depends on the development and the relevant date of construction.

Where an LABC Warranty applies, check the applicable LABC Warranty technical information. Warranty requirements, Building Regulations and workmanship standards should be distinguished clearly in the subcontract documents.

A useful tender question is: “What records will we receive, when will we receive them and who is responsible for closing out defects?” A subcontractor with a documented inspection and close-out process is easier to manage than one that relies on informal assurances.

6. Verify insurance, health and safety and accreditation

Request current certificates and supporting information before appointment, not after work has started.

Depending on the project and scope, checks may include:

• Employers’ liability insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Contractors’ all-risks cover where relevant
• Professional indemnity insurance if design responsibility is included
• Health and safety policy and arrangements
• Risk assessments and method statements
• Training and competence records
• Accident, incident and enforcement history
• Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) arrangements where required by the project
• Right-to-work and labour-supply checks
• Relevant pre-qualification or accreditation records

The UK Government guidance on employers’ liability insurance states that employers generally need cover of at least £5 million, subject to the applicable exemptions and circumstances. Your own client requirements or project standards may require higher limits or additional policies.

Accreditations can support due diligence, but they do not replace project-specific checks. Confirm what an accreditation covers, whether it is current and whether it applies to the work being procured.

7. Take up relevant references

References should relate to the package you are awarding. A subcontractor experienced in small-scale housing may not have the supervision, logistics or reporting systems needed for a large apartment or commercial development.

Ask for references from comparable projects and discuss:

• Quality and consistency of workmanship
• Reliability of labour and supervision
• Programme performance
• Response to defects and non-conformances
• Communication with the site team
• Accuracy of applications and variations
• Ability to work safely within the principal contractor’s arrangements
• Financial and commercial conduct

Where possible, visit completed work or speak directly with a site manager or commercial contact who dealt with the subcontractor. Review the actual performance of the business rather than relying solely on a presentation or website gallery.

8. Do not select on lowest price alone

The lowest tender may be the correct tender, but only after scope, resources, programme, quality and commercial assumptions have been normalised.

Before making a recommendation, compare:

Area	Questions to ask
Scope	Are all drawings, details and ancillary items included?
Labour	Is the proposed gang available for the required period?
Materials	Who buys, stores, protects and replaces materials?
Programme	Are the dates supported by a practical sequence?
Quality	Are inspections, reference panels and close-out included?
Commercial	Are exclusions, payment terms and fluctuation risks clear?
Compliance	Are insurance, safety and competence records satisfactory?
Capacity	Can the subcontractor support the project if conditions change?

A transparent tender with fewer qualifications may provide better value than a cheaper tender that contains significant exclusions. Price should be assessed alongside the likely cost of delay, rework, supervision, material waste and commercial administration.

Final appointment checklist

Before issuing the subcontract, confirm that you have:

• Defined the package scope and tender documents
• Agreed labour-only or supply-and-fix responsibility
• Checked capacity, gang structure and supervision
• Confirmed programme and workface assumptions
• Agreed quality benchmarks and inspection arrangements
• Verified insurance, competence and health and safety information
• Taken up relevant references
• Documented exclusions, assumptions and commercial terms
• Set out defect, snagging and handover procedures
• Identified the information required during delivery

Vanguard Masonry delivers brickwork and stonework packages for residential and commercial developments across the Midlands and North West. If you are procuring an upcoming masonry package, you can submit a tender enquiry with the relevant drawings, specifications and programme information for review.