What we do
Bricklaying services
All types of brickwork and masonry for homes across Hertfordshire, from new builds and extensions to garden walls, repointing, chimney repairs and insurance work.
Our services
From the footings to the final course
We bring over a decade of bricklaying experience to every job, large or small. That means bricks and mortar matched to your property as closely as possible, straight lines and clean joints, and a site that's kept safe and tidy from start to finish.
Choose a service to see what's involved, or get in touch and we'll talk it through. Quotes are free, with no obligation.
New build homes
We carry out the complete brickwork and blockwork package for new houses, from the footings up to the roof plate. That covers facing brickwork, cavity walls, window and door openings and gable ends, all set out and built accurately to your architect's and engineer's drawings.
We work for self-builders, small developers and homeowners building a new home, and we're used to working alongside groundworkers, carpenters, roofers and building control. Regular contact with whoever is running the site keeps the brickwork in step with the rest of the build.
- Footings and brickwork below DPC
- Facing brickwork and blockwork inner leaves
- Cavity walls, wall ties and cavity trays
- Openings built to size, with lintels and sills set
- Gable ends and work up to roof plate
- Built to architects' and engineers' drawings
Brick-matched extensions
From single-storey rear extensions and side returns to double-storey extensions, garages and porches, we build the brickwork so it sits naturally with your existing home. That starts with the bricks: we look at their size, colour and texture, the bond and the mortar, then source new or reclaimed bricks to match as closely as possible.
Where new walls meet old, we bond or tie the new brickwork into your existing walls so the join is strong and neat. We can work directly for you or alongside your builder, architect or designer, and we'll keep you updated as the walls go up.
- Single and double-storey extensions
- Garages, porches and side returns
- New or reclaimed bricks matched to your home
- New brickwork bonded or tied into existing walls
- Mortar colour and joints matched to the original
- Working with your builder or architect
Garden walls & landscaping
We build boundary and front garden walls, raised planters, brick piers and gate posts, and garden steps, finished with coping or capping that throws water clear and protects the brickwork below. Whether you want a wall to match your house or a contrasting feature, we'll help you choose bricks and details that suit the garden.
Retaining walls hold back a lot of weight, so where one is needed we build it to an engineer's design, with suitable foundations and drainage. We also build brick barbecues and outdoor kitchen surrounds, and we keep your garden as tidy as possible while we work.
- Boundary and front garden walls
- Retaining walls, to an engineer's design where needed
- Raised planters and seating walls
- Brick piers and gate posts
- Garden steps
- Coping stones and brick-on-edge capping
- Brick barbecues and outdoor kitchens
Repointing & restoration
Over time, mortar joints weather, crack and fall out, letting water into the wall. We rake out the old pointing to a consistent depth and repoint with a mortar chosen for the building: lime mortar for older, softer bricks and cement-based mortar where it suits more modern brickwork, colour-matched so the work blends in.
We also cut out and replace cracked or spalled bricks, clean brickwork carefully, and look after older and period properties with the care they need. Using a hard cement mortar on soft, old bricks can trap moisture and damage them, so we'll always explain what we recommend and why.
- Raking out and repointing
- Lime or cement mortar to suit the building
- Colour-matched mortar and joint finishes
- Replacing cracked and spalled bricks
- Careful cleaning of brickwork
- Older and period properties
Chimneys & repairs
Chimney stacks take the worst of the weather, so loose bricks, eroded joints and cracked flaunching are common problems. We repoint and repair stacks, renew the flaunching that holds the pots in place, and rebuild stacks that have become unsafe. We'll explain the access needed, usually scaffolding, when we quote.
We can also take down redundant chimney stacks. Removing a stack can affect the structure and may need building regulations approval, so this is always subject to the right checks first. Away from the roof, we carry out general brickwork repairs, including crack stitching and replacing failed lintels over windows and doors.
- Chimney stack rebuilds
- Repointing chimney stacks
- New flaunching and resetting pots
- Removing redundant stacks, subject to checks
- Crack stitching
- Lintel replacement
- General brickwork repairs
Insurance repair work
When brickwork is damaged by a vehicle, a storm, high winds or a fallen tree, we'll make it safe and put it right, matching bricks and mortar as closely as possible. We also carry out subsidence-related repairs once the cause has been investigated and resolved.
Insurers and loss adjusters usually need clear information before approving a repair, so we provide a detailed quote and photos of the damage for you to pass on. Small jobs are welcome, from a few damaged bricks to a section of garden wall. Your insurer will confirm what your policy covers.
- Vehicle impact damage
- Storm and wind damage
- Fallen tree damage
- Subsidence repairs, once the cause is resolved
- Making damaged brickwork safe
- Detailed quotes and photos for your insurer
- Small repairs welcome
Step by step
How an insurance repair usually works
Every insurer handles claims in its own way, but repairs usually follow these four steps.
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01
Tell your insurer
Report the damage to your insurer and check how they'd like the claim handled. If the damage is unsafe, let us know and we'll help make it safe.
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02
We visit and quote
We inspect the damage, take photos and prepare a detailed quote for the repair, ready for you to send to your insurer or loss adjuster.
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03
Approval
Your insurer or loss adjuster reviews the quote. We're happy to answer any questions they have about the work involved.
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04
Repair and finish
Once the claim is approved, we carry out the repair, clean down the brickwork and clear the site.
Blockwork & foundations
Good brickwork depends on what's underneath it. Once the concrete foundations are in, we build the footings: the brickwork and blockwork from the foundation up to damp-proof course (DPC) level, set out accurately to line and level so everything above starts true.
We also lay blockwork inner leaves for cavity walls, internal partition walls, and the walls for garden rooms, garages and outbuildings. Blockwork goes up quickly, but it still needs to be plumb, level and properly tied in, and that's how we build it.
- Footings from foundation to DPC
- Blockwork inner leaves for cavity walls
- Internal partition walls
- Garden rooms and outbuildings
- Garages and workshops
- Set out accurately to line and level
Feature & decorative brickwork
Decorative details are where good bricklaying really shows. We build arches over windows and doorways, soldier courses, string courses and corbelling, and herringbone or basketweave panels that add character to a new build, an extension or a garden wall.
This kind of detailing needs careful setting out and the right bricks, so we'll talk the design through with you, or work from your architect's drawings, before work starts. It's also a good way to tie an extension in with the period details of an older house.
- Arches over windows and doorways
- Soldier courses and string courses
- Corbelling
- Herringbone and basketweave panels
- Decorative piers and pillars
- Details matched to period homes
Stonework & cladding
Alongside brickwork, we build natural stone walls and features, and flint work, a traditional finish seen on older buildings and garden walls across Hertfordshire. Stone and flint call for a different approach from brick, with each piece chosen and placed by hand and a mortar that suits the material.
Where a full-thickness stone or brick wall isn't practical, stone facing and brick slips give the same look with far less depth and weight, for example on a timber-framed extension or over an existing block wall. We'll talk you through the options that suit your building.
- Natural stone walls and features
- Flint work and flint panels
- Mixed brick and flint walls
- Stone facing
- Brick slip cladding
- Repairs to existing stone and flint walls
Questions
Common questions
A few of the things homeowners often ask before starting a project. If yours isn't here, just get in touch.
Are your quotes free?
Yes. Quotes are free and there's no obligation to go ahead. We'll visit, take a proper look at the job, talk through the options and then give you a clear price. If you can send a few photos or drawings with your enquiry, it helps us understand the work before we visit.
Can you match my existing bricks?
We'll match them as closely as we possibly can. We look at the size, colour and texture of your bricks, the bond pattern and the colour and finish of the mortar, then source new or reclaimed bricks to suit. Many older homes are built with imperial bricks, which are slightly larger than modern ones, so it's worth getting this right from the start.
An exact match isn't always possible with weathered brickwork, and we'll be honest with you about what can be achieved before anything is ordered.
Do I need planning permission or building regulations approval?
It depends on the work and your property. Some extensions and garden walls can be built without planning permission while others need it, and structural work such as extensions, new builds and chimney breast removal usually needs building regulations approval. Listed buildings and conservation areas have extra rules.
Please check with your local council or your architect before work starts. The Planning Portal website (opens in a new tab) is a useful place to begin. We're happy to work from your architect's or designer's drawings and alongside building control.
Do you take on small jobs and repairs?
Yes. Alongside larger projects, we're happy to take on smaller jobs such as rebuilding a short run of garden wall, replacing damaged bricks, repointing a chimney stack or repairing damage for an insurance claim. Get in touch with a few details and we'll let you know how we can help.
How long will my job take?
It depends on the size and design of the job, access to the site, how long materials take to arrive and the weather, as bricklaying has to pause in frost and heavy rain. We'll give you an estimated timescale with your quote and keep you updated if anything changes once work is under way.
Do you work with builders and developers?
Yes. As well as working directly for homeowners, we carry out brickwork for builders, self-builders and small developers, including new build houses. Get in touch with details of the project, and drawings if you have them, and we'll arrange to price the work.
Not sure what your project needs?
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll talk you through the options, then arrange a free, no-obligation quote.