Substructure Bricklaying Gangs for Groundworkers
When you hold the groundworks package, the substructure brickwork sits squarely on your programme. If the bricklayers aren’t there when the footings are ready, everything behind them stops: oversite, slab, drainage and handover to the superstructure trades. Vanguard Masonry is a brickwork subcontractor that supplies supervised substructure bricklaying gangs to groundworkers on housing and commercial sites across the Midlands and the North West. Our substructure work is priced as a standalone package, so you can appoint us for your scope only.
What our substructure package covers
- Foundation brickwork and blockwork from footings up to DPC
- Trench-block and coursing-block work to suit the footing design
- Setting out to the groundworker’s and engineer’s levels and lines
- Facing brickwork below DPC where it’s visible
- Coordination with drainage runs, service entries and the floor system
We work to your groundworks sequence, not the other way round. Footings change from plot to plot on sloping and brownfield sites, so our gangs follow the footing design for each plot rather than assuming a standard depth.
Supervised gangs, not just labour
Many groundworkers have used bricklayers who turn up, lay and leave, with nobody accountable for quality or attendance. Our bricklaying gangs work under a named Vanguard supervisor who:
- is your single point of contact for the substructure package;
- plans gang sizes against the plots you’re releasing;
- keeps daily site logs and records quality checks plot by plot;
- flags problems with levels, setting out or footings before they’re built over.
RAMS, inductions and toolbox talks are in place before our gangs start, and our operatives carry valid CSCS cards. Vanguard Masonry is Constructionline Gold and CHAS Advanced accredited, so we’re easy to approve onto your main contractor’s or housebuilder’s site.
Keeping pace with the groundworks programme
Substructure brickwork is all about timing. We plan our gangs against the groundworks programme and the sequence you’re releasing plots in, and we can add bricklayers when the pace picks up. With 100 bricklayers across the Midlands and North West, adding gangs is a real option rather than a promise.
Because we also deliver superstructure brickwork, the housebuilder or main contractor can bring us back for the next stage. The same supervisor can then carry the brickwork from footings to roof plate, which makes the handover between substructure and superstructure straightforward. If you prefer, we stay strictly within the groundworks package.
How we price substructure packages
We offer three service options, agreed at tender:
- Labour only
- Labour, mortar, sundries and fuel
- Full supply and fit
Housing and commercial substructure
Housing: phased developments of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, and apartment blocks, where substructure has to stay ahead of the superstructure trades plot by plot.
Commercial: care homes, schools, retail and industrial units, where substructure brickwork is often a smaller, more varied package that fits around ground-beam, piling and drainage work.
Where we supply substructure gangs
We work for groundworkers across:- Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Birmingham– Derby, Nottingham and Leicester– Crewe, Chester, Warrington, Manchester and the rest of the North West
See all areas we cover.
Who we've worked with
We’ve worked with housebuilders and contractors including Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, Watson Homes, Barnfield Construction, Stainforth Construction and Casey. On many housing sites the groundworker and the housebuilder both need confidence in the substructure, and our plot-by-plot records give both of them that.
Pricing a substructure package
To price, we need:- the site layout;- foundation and substructure drawings, including any plot-specific footing details;- the specification for blocks, bricks and DPC;- your groundworks programme or plot-release sequence;- which of our three service options you want (labour only; labour, mortar, sundries and fuel; or full supply and fit).
We’ll come back with a clear scope, a price and how we’d resource it. We price each site on its own merits, not with a blanket rate.
Find out more about our full brickwork services or new-build housing brickwork.
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.
Need a substructure gang for your next site?
Send us the layout, foundation drawings and your groundworks programme and we'll come back with a price and resourcing plan.
Do you supply bricklaying gangs to groundworkers?
Yes. We supply supervised substructure bricklaying gangs for foundation brickwork and blockwork up to DPC, priced as a standalone package.
Are your gangs supervised?
Yes. Every package has a named Vanguard supervisor who manages the gangs, keeps daily site logs and records quality checks plot by plot.
Can you keep up with our groundworks programme?
We plan gang sizes against your plot-release sequence and can add bricklayers from our team of 100 when the programme speeds up.
Can you work on sloping or brownfield sites with variable footings?
Yes. Our gangs follow the footing design for each plot rather than assuming a standard depth, and flag level or setting-out issues before they’re built over.
Can you also do the superstructure?
Yes. If the housebuilder or main contractor wants us for the superstructure too, the same supervisor can carry the brickwork from footings to completion.
What service options do you offer?
Labour only; labour, mortar, sundries and fuel; or full supply and fit. We agree the option at tender.
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.
