Bricklaying Contractor for Housing & Commercial Developments
Vanguard Masonry is a bricklaying contractor delivering brickwork and blockwork packages for housebuilders, main contractors and groundworkers. Established in 2018 and based in Dunston, Stafford, we work across the West Midlands, the East Midlands, Cheshire and the North West with a team of 100 bricklayers. We’re Constructionline Gold and CHAS Advanced accredited, and every package we take on has a named supervisor, daily site logs and recorded quality checks.
We work on development and commercial sites, not domestic jobs. That focus shapes everything about how we price, resource and run a package, from the first tender query to the final plot or elevation.
What we deliver
New-build housing brickwork
Superstructure brickwork, blockwork and cavity construction for private and affordable housing, from small infill sites to large phased developments. We work in line with NHBC Standards, keep the same supervisor on a site wherever possible, and record quality checks plot by plot so your site manager and warranty inspector can see what has been built and signed off. Read more about new-build housing brickwork.
Substructure gangs for groundworkers
Foundation brickwork and blockwork up to DPC, priced as a standalone package for groundworkers. Our substructure gangs work to the groundworks sequence and follow footings as they change from plot to plot, so the slab and oversite programme isn’t held up. Read more about substructure brickwork.
Commercial, care, education and apartments
Full brickwork packages for main contractors on apartment blocks, care homes, schools and SEND buildings, hotels, offices, retail and infrastructure. Our completed work includes care homes in Blackburn and Chorley, retirement apartments in Liverpool, Halcyon Way School in Oldham, apartment schemes in Manchester and Warrington, and brickwork at Lea Green railway station near St Helens. Read more about commercial brickwork.
Refurbishment and alterations
Refurbishment and alteration brickwork, including insurance reinstatement, commercial fit-out and education projects. See refurbishment brickwork.
Who we work for
Housebuilders appoint us for superstructure brickwork on phased sites, where consistency across house types and phases matters as much as output.
Main contractors appoint us as their brickwork subcontractor on apartment, care, education and commercial buildings. They want one package, one supervisor at progress meetings, and RAMS and reporting that fit their systems.
Groundworkers appoint us for substructure gangs, so they can hand over to the superstructure trades on time without running their own bricklayers.
We’ve worked with housebuilders, developers and contractors including Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, Watson Homes, Torsion Homes, Harper, Barnfield Construction, Stainforth Construction, Noble Projects, Buildzone UK, Casey and LNC Property Developments.
How we run a brickwork package
1. Tender. We price from your drawings, specification and programme. We raise buildability questions at tender stage, not once work has started: brick-support details, movement joints, feature brickwork, cavity trays and interfaces with windows, frames and cladding. You get a clear scope and a priced proposal under one of our three service options (labour only; labour, mortar, sundries and fuel; or full supply and fit).
2. Mobilisation. RAMS, inductions and toolbox talks are in place before our gangs start. Our operatives carry valid CSCS cards. We agree access, laydown areas, deliveries and scaffold loading with your site team.
3. Supervision. Every package has a named supervisor. They’re your single point of contact, attend progress meetings, and manage gangs, materials call-off and sequencing day to day.
4. Quality and reporting. Daily site logs, progress reports and quality-assurance records are shared with you for full visibility. On housing, checks are recorded plot by plot. On multi-storey buildings, they’re recorded lift by lift and elevation by elevation (see multi-storey facing brickwork: what to expect). We build sample panels to the approved specification and blend bricks from several packs as we lay to avoid banding.
5. Labour that flexes. Labour is planned against your programme rather than added once a job falls behind. With 100 bricklayers across the Midlands and North West, we can add gangs when plots are released or a frame speeds up.
6. Completion. Snags are closed out promptly so plots and floors can move on to the next trade, and records are ready for handover and NHBC or LABC sign-off.
Details we get right
Most brickwork problems on site come from details, not walls. We pay particular attention to:- Cavity trays, weep vents and DPCs at openings, abutments and changes in level;- Movement joints positioned to the design;- Wall ties at the specified spacing, with extra ties at openings and movement joints;- Brick-support systems and lintels on multi-storey buildings;- Cavity barriers coordinated with the fire strategy.
We raise anything that looks unbuildable or unclear before we price it. On site, our supervisor checks these details as the work goes up, rather than at the end. For more on this, read our guide to common brickwork defects and what causes them.
How we price a package
We offer three service options, agreed at tender to suit how the project is procured:
- Labour only
- Labour, mortar, sundries and fuel
- Full supply and fit
On labour-only packages we work with your materials and agree call-off and waste control with your site team. Where we supply mortar, sundries and fuel, or the full materials package, we manage ordering, call-off and storage against the programme.
Accredited for Tier 1 supply chains
Vanguard Masonry holds Constructionline Gold and CHAS Advanced accreditation. Our operatives carry valid CSCS cards, and health and safety documentation is in place for Tier 1 delivery. On residential schemes we work in line with NHBC Standards and to LABC requirements. See our accreditations.
Recent projects
- Acer Lodge, Blackburn: care home, completed
- The Vicarage, Warrington: apartments, completed
- Kara Street, Manchester: houses and apartments, completed
- Halcyon Way School, Oldham: education, completed
Areas we cover
We deliver brickwork packages across the Midlands and the North West from our base in Dunston, Stafford. The nearest city to our office is Wolverhampton, just down the A449, where we work as a bricklaying contractor in Wolverhampton for housebuilders, main contractors and groundworkers.
- West Midlands: Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Shrewsbury
- East Midlands: Derby, Nottingham, Leicester
- Cheshire & North West: Crewe, Macclesfield, Chester, Warrington, Manchester, Stockport
TRUSTED BY LEADING DEVELOPERS
Repeat delivery on live sites for major housing & commercial developers.
Reliable Tenders
Clear scope, quick turnaround and transparent pricing - so you can appoint with confidence.
ACCREDITED & COMPLIANT
Constructionline Gold and CHAS Advanced accredited, with H&S and compliance in place for Tier 1 delivery.
MIDLANDS & NORTH WEST
Dedicated regional team - fast mobilisation, consistent expert supervision.
LIVE SITE REPORTING
Daily site logs, progress reports and quality assurance records - shared for full visibility.
NHBC & LABC READY
Documented quality checks at every stage and prompt snag close-out to support consistent NHBC and LABC sign-off.
Have a brickwork package out to tender?
Send us the drawings, specification and programme and we'll come back with a clear, priced and resourced proposal.
What does a bricklaying contractor do?
A bricklaying contractor delivers the brickwork and blockwork package on a construction project. That covers the walls, cavities, facing brickwork and associated details, with its own supervision, labour and quality control. We work for housebuilders, main contractors and groundworkers on development and commercial sites.
Are you a bricklaying contractor or a brickwork subcontractor?
Both terms describe what we do. We’re usually appointed as the brickwork subcontractor to a housebuilder, main contractor or groundworker, delivering the full brickwork package under their programme.
Do you supply bricklaying gangs?
Yes, as part of a managed package. Our gangs work under a named Vanguard supervisor with daily site logs and quality checks, rather than as labour supplied with no supervision.
Do you do domestic work such as extensions?
No. We work on development and commercial projects only.
Which areas do you cover?
The West Midlands, East Midlands, Cheshire and the North West, from our base in Dunston, Stafford. See areas we cover.
How do I send a tender?
Upload your drawings, specification and programme through our contact page, email estimates@vanguardmasonry.co.uk or call 01785 526030.
Testimonials
On our care home development, Vanguard took ownership of the stonework scope from day one. The finish quality was excellent, their supervision was solid, and they kept communication simple and professional throughout. They understood the importance of programme and quality needed, and they delivered exactly what we needed with minimal snagging. I’d recommend them to any developer looking for a dependable sub contractor.
Testimonials
Vanguard were solid from start to finish on our Blackburn site. Good output, tidy working areas, and the brickwork finish was consistently to a high standard. Any issues were dealt with quickly and without drama.
